Ghostly Threat
by Kandon Kuuson
Summary: AU: What if 'Twilight' never happened? What if Ari was biding his time to threaten not just Gibbs but the rest of the team? What if Tony and Kate were married and had two kids? Concept based on Dark Water squad room intro with Kate and Tony.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I own none of the Characters that appear in this story that also appear on the TV show, they all belong to Belisarius Productions and CBS. I can safely say that the originals are all mine._

Ghostly Threat 

Rated: T, for Moderate Violence and Suggestive themes.

_A/N: AU what if _**Twilight**_ never happened? What if Ari was biding his time to threaten not just Gibbs but the rest of the team? What if Tony and Kate were married and had two kids? Concept based on Dark Water squad room intro with Kate and Tony. This story was slightly inspired by author_ **Kate DiNozzo**_, I just want to say thanks to her. At the moment I'm just working this story by feel, please review._

**Four Years Earlier**

The cell phone on Tony's desk rang. He looked down at it, his head in his hand. Caller ID registered as _Michelle_ and it numbered the amount of times she had called as _22_. "No, for the twenty-third time," Tony said in an exasperated voice, as he pressed the button to do not answer the incoming call. McGee looked warily over at Tony from his desk as he readied himself for the day. The phone rang again; Tony folded his hands over his back as frustration filled his face.

Kate walked into the squad room with a bag of takeaway Chinese in her hands, placed the bag on her desk. "You going to answer that," she said without looking up.

Tony looked up flexing his fingers several times in frustration, "I'm in hell Kate!"

"Well, do they have money there," Kate said sarcastically as she pulled her coat off and hung it on her chair. She lifted a slip of paper off her desk, "Because you owe me, forty-six dollars and eighty-two cents!"

Tony seized the opportunity, he rose from his desk picking up his phone and walking over to her desk, jabbing is finger into his open palm for emphasis "I will gladly pay you today, if you answer this call for me."

"Yeah," Kate said, suspicion creeping into her voice, "Who is it?"

Tony held out the phone to her, "Crazy ex-girlfriend, I haven't seen since college."

"Stalker," Kate said, taken aback by Tony's insistence.

"More like a stalk him," Tony said suggesting that he was good looking enough to have a Stalker at all.

Kate looked at him as she accepted the phone, "What do you want me to say to her?"

"I don't know," Tony said shrugging his shoulders slightly, "Tell her you're my wife or something!" Kate gave Tony a look that would boil any other man alive, while McGee rose from his desk, a frown creasing his face. "She been calling me non-stop for two days," Tony said and looked like he was at his wits end, "Please, I'm begging you Kate!"

Kate pointed her finger as her face softened, "You will pay me back today!"

"Sure," Tony said genuinely, as Kate flipped it open and answered it, Tony clasped his hands together and whispered, "Thank you."

"Hello," Kate said as Tony rummaged through the bag of Chinese for his order, Kate exclaimed as she answered the voice at the other end, "Me, oh I am Tony's wife." Tony looked over at her and winked at her as she answered and then looked over at McGee who was wearing a slightly annoyed frown and had his arms crossed.

"Yes we got married a few years ago," Kate answered another question from the voice at the other end of the line. Tony was opening his Chinese and had his chop sticks in his mouth as Kate leaned over after the person on the other end asked another question, "Do we have kids?" Tony made put three fingers up with a questioning look at Kate, she shook her head and whispered, "No," Tony then threw up two fingers questioningly at her. Kate nodded and placed the phone to her ear again, "We have two," another question came and she answered, her head rolled from side to side as she spoke, "Yes, and we're very, very happy so please don't call again!" She disconnected the phone and handed it back to Tony, "Ew, I feel like I need a shower," then she held out her hand for the money Tony had promised to pay.

He smiled a warm smile yet one which only a rascal would wear, he pointed at Kate, "Pay the lady, probie!"

Kate, face changed as McGee face looked slightly down cast as he reached into his back pocket and removed his wallet. He sighed loudly as he then removed the money, "He bet me forty dollars that he could get you to say you were his wife today," he said as he held out the money to Kate.

Kate gave Tony a pissed off look, "Tony I'm going to kill you!"

_A/N: Please review it would be greatly appreciated. Enjoy the rest of the story, Kandon._


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I don't own any characters that appear on the TV show they all belong to Belisarius Productions and CBS. The original characters are all mine, mine I tell you._

_A/N: Enjoy, I look forward to your comments. Also I want to give a big thank you to _**Emypink** _for being my beta on this story._

**Present Day**

Anthony DiNozzo glanced around the wooden teak flooring of the lounge room on the ground floor of his two-story house in Georgetown; he stumbled and tripped over a baby toy lying on the floor near his feet. He righted himself and looked around. "Katie, babe," he shouted.

"I'm up here," Caitlin Todd-DiNozzo shouted from the second floor, "I'm changing Jason!"

"Daddy," a voice said behind him. Tony turned around to see his three-year-old daughter, Isabel, holding a bowl in her hand. Isabel had dark hair like Kate. She also bore a resemblance to her. Her eyes, however, had Tony's shape and colour.

"What's up sweetie?" Tony knelt down in front of her.

"Can you get me some brekky," Isabel said, looking up at him like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth, "Mummy's busy with Jas, and she's always busy with Jas."

Tony smiled, as he always did when he heard Isabel try and say Jason's name "Izzie gorgeous, mummy only…" He stopped, as Isabel's look tugged at his heartstrings.

"All right, let's go get some breakfast." Tony led his daughter by the hand into the kitchen. He lifted Isabel up onto the stool against the bench. "Ok, do you want cereal or toast, Izzie?"

Isabel screwed up her face, "I don't want cereal, daddy."

"Toast it is then." Tony walked around the bench as Izzie sat quietly watching everything he did. He pulled the toaster out from under the bench. Then he walked over to the freezer, pulling out the frozen multi-grain bread. He then pulled a piece of bread out of the bag and put it into the toaster. He looked at Isabel. "What do you want on it, Izzie?"

"Peanut butter and jelly, daddy," Isabel said, smiling at him. Tony nodded. He pulled out the peanut butter and jelly from the fridge, and then he turned around and pulled the toast out of the toaster. Tony placed the piece of toast on a plate. He opened up the jar of peanut butter. He dipped the knife into the jar and spread the paste across the toast. Then he did the same with the strawberry jelly. Tony cut the piece of toast into quarters and slid the plate across the kitchen top to where Izzie was sitting.

"Alright Izzie, I have to go talk to mummy before I go to work." Tony walked around the kitchen bench to his daughter and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "See you tonight, gorgeous."

Isabel hugged Tony tightly, and whispered, "Bye daddy, say hello to Uncle Gibbs and Uncle Tim for me."

Tony looked down at his daughter, running his hand through her hair. "I will. Love you, Izzie."

"Love you too daddy," Isabel said before she turned to her toast.

Tony turned and walked up the stairs, then down the hallway to Jason's room. Tony lent against the door lintel of his son's room. He grinned to himself as his eyes perused his wife's figure from behind. Kate was one remarkable woman. She went to Boxer-Size classes, as well as the jogging with friends almost on a daily basis and her figure had returned to the slimly shaped form she had, had before she was married. _Well almost,_ Tony thought as he smiled, _but_ _I wouldn't have her any other way!_

Kate had just finished changing their four-month-old son's diaper, when Tony entered. His right hand moved over Kate's backside before he wrapped his arms around Kate and looked over her shoulder at Jason. "Jase, your mum is so good to you."

Tony reached out a finger that Jason clutched at, all his fingers wrapping around Tony's index finger. "I am so envious of you."

Kate smiled as Tony held onto her tightly. "I'm sure your envious at this moment, I'm sure you really want to smell like Jason too." She pulled his arms away from her stomach. "But you have to be at work, handsome."

Tony pulled Kate around so that she pressed up against him, bending in to kiss her. "Well, Katie, maybe after work we can…"

Kate elbowed him in the stomach and Tony groaned. Kate still did it when he got to fresh with her, which didn't happen very often now. "Not tonight, or have you forgotten we're going to my parents' for dinner tonight."

Tony loved his in-laws as much as the next man. He got along with Jim Todd really well and enjoyed the older man's company. He was great to be around when Tony's Philadelphia Eagles and Jim's Seattle Seahawks played one another during the NFL season. He had reservations about Kate's mum, Alexandra, on the other hand. Tony felt it was better never to comment. His mother-in-law never really liked him for one reason or another, but she hadn't stood in Tony and Kate's way when the engagement was announced and when they were finally married. Now she had grandchildren so things were changing for the better.

"Sorry, babe," Tony said as he kissed her tenderly, "Forgive me."

Kate smiled as they broke their kiss. "Don't I always."

She pulled his arms from around her waist. "Now you need to get to work or Gibbs will skin you alive."

Tony stepped back. "Alright Beautiful, I'm going, have fun with my dad."

Kate smiled. Anthony DiNozzo senior was always an interesting man to spend time with, and he loved his grandchildren and doted on them. That was something Tony didn't like him doing much, but he wasn't going to stop his dad, not since they were now close once again. Since Tony and Kate's marriage three and a half years ago, Tony and his father had grown close. They spent more time together when he wasn't working and even did more things together, something Kate believed Tony had missed out on throughout his own childhood. Tony was always smiling now when he was with his Dad, which made Kate feel that her husband was now bridging the gap with his Dad, which had been there for so long. She heard him head downstairs and then call out as he opened the door. "See you all tonight, I love you all."

The door closed and Kate turned back to Jason. Their son reminded her of Tony. Jason had her raven hair and her eyes, but he had the looks of his father and that pleased Tony's dad, Anthony Senior.

Kate lifted Jason into her arms. "Let's go see what your sister is up to."

Kate descended the stairs slowly; she always took extra care whether it was Jason or even Isabel when she was younger. She walked through the lounge, pausing to look at her wedding photo. Then she glanced at the latest family photo taken only a few weeks ago. She walked into the kitchen. "Izzie, what did daddy make you?"

Izzie sat at the kitchen bench on a stool finishing her last quarter of toast. Kate groaned. She was only three and Tony had placed her on a stool. _Tony you're being dangerous again_, she sighed and walked over to Jason's high chair. She placed him carefully into the chair, buckled him in and turned to Isabel. "Daddy made me peanut butter and jelly on toast, mummy," Isabel answered.

Kate groaned again. Izzie had developed a bad habit of wrapping Tony around her little finger when it came to what she wanted.

"All right, Izzie." Kate lifted the three year old off the stool. "Do you want to watch the Wiggle again?"

Isabel beamed at Kate. "Can I mummy, really?"

Kate needed to have her out the way as while she prepared Jason's bottle to feed him, she finished breastfeeding two weeks ago. The bottle was a new thing to her son and she was finding it hard to feed him from the bottle every now and then. "Yes, which one to do you want," Kate asked quickly.

"Anyone, mummy," Izzie said jumping up and down. Isabel loved the Wiggles. Kate walked over to the TV, switched it on and turned the DVD player on. She waited a few seconds before she opened up the DVD tray and placed the DVD inside. She hit play and watched as Izzie sat on the carpet in front of the TV, mesmerized.

Kate returned to the kitchen just a Jason started to cry. Kate picked him up. "I'm not having that Jason James DiNozzo. You're not going to cry like your dad when he doesn't get his own way."

Kate smirked, invariably Tony did get his way and she had two kids to prove that he did. Kate jiggled Jason for a few moments before he settled down again, smiling away happily at her. She carefully placed him back in the high chair and began to get his bottle ready.

It was almost finished when the doorbell rang. Kate looked over at Jason sitting over in the high chair. "I wonder who that could be, Jase?" Jason smiled at her as she spoke to him in the playful voice she always did when she talked to him.

"Mummy, the door rang," Isabel said, her attention drawn away from the Wiggles for a moment.

"Okay, Izzie," Kate said, walking out of the kitchen, "mummy will get it." Kate walked over to the door, and opened it a smile across her face.

Kate's smile faded as she beheld the person standing on the porch. He wore a motorcycle jacket, trousers and gloves and carried a helmet under his arm "Hello Caitlin."

She reacted too late to the situation. The man's gloved hand held a piece of cloth drenched in an Anaesthetic, and it was forcibly clamped over her mouth. Even as her strength and eyes failed, Kate beheld more men behind him. She heard Isabel scream and Jason crying. All went black.


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Characters that appear on the TV show, they all belong to Belisarius Productions and CBS. I do however own the original characters; I mean hey if you don't have the originals, generally you don't have a story._

_A/N: If you haven't guessed who the guy at the door was, I'll fill you in, it was Ari Haswari. Also Ziva and Jenny Shepard will not be appearing in the story. They both don't exist because one needs the other in a matter of speaking. It is AU so things like that can happen. I'm a Tiva fan more than Tate, but this sounded so awesome in my mind that I had to write it. Like I said before in the first chapter, thanks to _**Kate DiNozzo**_ for inspiring me to write this, and all the other Tate writers that I've read so far. _

The elevator pinged as it reached his floor. Tony walked out of the elevator and into the squad room and then the bullpen. He threw his gear down behind his desk and looked over at Special Agent Michelle Lee, who was sitting across from him and had a facial expression that said _she was less than impressed._

"What? Izzie held me up," Tony said as he booted up his computer.

Michelle smiled. Michelle had only been in the squad for little under a year. Before her, Paula Cassidy had filled the post as the only woman in the squad, after Kate had handed in her resignation to be a full time mummy. Paula had gone back to Guantanamo Bay to get away from Gibbs. Director Tom Morrow was said to be able to pick a good squad member, but to Tony, he felt Lee didn't fit in. She was too by the book. Even McGee found her to be too rigid and regimental, and Gibbs, he just got annoyed with her. Tony had lost count of how many times Gibbs would look over at him and say, 'Why did she have to go get married to you?'

"Gibbs was seriously annoyed this morning," Lee said, looking up.

"Surprise me," Tony said sarcastically.

Lee looked up and smiled. "I'm going on a date with Jimmy tonight!" Tony raised his eyebrow at her and convulsed as if it were something really wrong.

She shrugged a smug smile on her face. "What? You said surprise me."

"Where's McGee," Tony asked, changing the subject as quickly as he could. Tony liked Jimmy. He'd grown used to the medical assistant. He shook his head at the thought of Jimmy and Agent Lee together. _Yuck,_ he thought.

"He rang and said he would be late," Michelle said, looking up, "he gave no reason and I think that's part of the reason Gibbs is not happy at the moment."

"Hmm," Tony mused on the answer, "Abby arrived yet?"

Michelle shook her head. "No, could be a reason."

"What could be a reason, Agent Lee," Gibbs said, walking into the bullpen.

"Ah, nothing, Gibbs," Lee said, fumbling with her thoughts, "I was just…"

Gibbs stare bore through her. "You were just what Lee?"

"Nothing," Lee said, lowering her head.

"Yeah," Gibbs said, nodding his head, "that about sums it up." He shook his head, and then looked Tony. "Why did she have to go get married to you?"

"Hey Boss, that's a bit low, don't you think," Tony said, smiling at him. "Here's me with a message from your favorite God-daughter."

Gibbs' facial expression softened. Gibbs had agreed to be Isabel's God-father and he spoiled her as much, if not more so, than the other grandparents combined.

"How's she going," Gibbs said, his face softening even more.

Tony smiled. "She told me to say hello to you and to McGee this morning." Tony paused and looked around. "By the way boss, where is McGee?"

Gibbs face changed, only for a moment, but it changed. "He's down at the Doctor's with Abby."

"Care to elaborate Boss?" Tony asked, surprise on his face.

"No, DiNozzo," Gibbs said straightforwardly, "you will have to ask him yourself." Gibbs turned to his computer. "Stop yakking and start doing some work, either filing or something else, but do something."

"On it Boss." Tony opened his desk draw, pulled out a file and looked over at Michelle.

"Hey Lee, have you got the file on the Dustin case?" His phone rang and Tony picked it up. "DiNozzo!"

"Anthony," DiNozzo senior said from the other end of the phone.

"Hey Dad, how's this morning going with your daughter-in-law and your grandchildren," Tony said, happy to hear from his Dad.

"They never showed up this morning, son," Anthony Senior said, worry tinged his voice, "I called the house, no answer. Then I tried Caitlin's cell phone, I got voice message."

"They're probably on their way,' Tony said, not wanting to sound too panicky. "I'll give you a call later to see if they've arrived. Okay, Dad!"

"All right, Ciao" His father responded.

"Ciao, dad," Tony said, hanging up and looked around. Where could Kate and the kids be? It wasn't like them to run late for a visit to Granddad DiNozzo's.

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The figure watched the squad room on a LCD screen and smiled. Gibbs and his team were blissfully unaware that his revenge was even now beginning to come to fruition. He turned to look at Kate who now sat bolt upright, hands and feet tied together. She was gagged as well to prevent her from biting one of his men again. He clutched at his right shoulder as if it was a weakness. After four years the shoulder had never really recovered.

"You know, Caitlin, I've missed you," Ari Haswari said, an evil smile playing across his face, "I would also say that your husband doesn't even know that you're not at your home or that you're not on your way to his father's place in Philadelphia."

"But I estimate that in about half an hour's time, his world will be rocked by his father calling and asking where you are. If not, it will be me who tells him and I'm looking forward it," Ari said, smiling sinisterly. "This part of the plan is only the tip of the iceberg. I will have my revenge on all of you, one by one."

Ari stepped away from the LCD and walked down the steps of the platform that he was now descending. Ari walked over to a figure that sat shaking all over. Ari looked up at the man who stood guarding the child. "She is in shock. I want three blankets brought and wrapped around her. She cannot die till her father and two uncles watch her die in front of them, otherwise it would be meaningless to have her here. See to it Omar!"

He walked over to a cot that contained a small child. Ari ran a hand over the boy's head, and looked at the young Arab woman who sat close by. "Make sure he is nourished and be gentle. We don't want him dead yet, Karima."

"Haswari," a man named Hussien shouted from the platform, "the last piece is in place."

Ari looked around the warehouse that he stood in. The chess game was about to begin. He would kill Leroy Jethro Gibbs, but only after he had broken the man. Piece by piece, the people and all those that were important to him would die and he would watch four years of preparation work like clockwork. That was the will of Sayedi (My Master). In order to enter the trust of Al-Qaeda, he needed to destroy the man that caused them so much trouble here in Washington DC. Ari smiled. The evil dripping off his lips as he strode to the platform. "Let the game begin."

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McGee walked into the bullpen half and hour later than he had anticipated, but if Gibbs was angry for being late, McGee cared nothing for it. He had received news that would have made any man who was married leap for joy. McGee wasn't married. He was engaged, but he wasn't married, yet. Still it mattered little to the soon to be daddy McGee. "Morning, Tony. How's Gibbs this fine morning," McGee said as he swept past Lee and Tony.

"Have you been taking drugs this morning, McGee?" Tony asked as he glanced out of the window. "Its fifteen degrees out there and raining."

McGee glanced over at Michelle. McGee was still a little reluctant to talk about private matters with her. McGee had mentioned something when she was still new to the team and word had gotten around faster than a wild fire.

"I'll tell you later," McGee said, grinning broadly as Tony looked him with an expression of curiosity.

"McGee, where the hell have you been? You said half an hour ago you would be back here," Gibbs said as he walked back into the bullpen after a long chat with Director Morrow.

"Sorry Boss, won't happen again," McGee answered and Gibbs gave him a face of _I've heard that before,_ then looked in Tony's direction.

"Listen up, the FBI…" Gibbs began. His phone rang and he picked it up.

"Gibbs." His face changed. "So you knew they were going to call us and tell us you were on the prowl, you bastard, and I don't mean the literal sense of the word."

Tony looked at McGee who in turn looked at Michelle who looked back at Tony. Gibbs looked up at Tony. "Very well, we'll put you on speaker."

Gibbs placed the phone on speaker and looked down at the phone. "Go ahead!"

"Good Morning Lady and Gentlemen. I am watching you by a hidden camera. Any attempt to remove said camera and the hostages die," Ari Haswari's voice said over the phone. Tony reached for his phone and began to dial.

"I wouldn't bother trying to call you wife, Agent DiNozzo." Ari tone suggested that he could see every move they made. "I have her and your two beautiful children here with me. They are the hostages. Didn't I tell you I would be back? You Americans never listen to threats that you don't think can be carried out!"

"What do you want with them, asshole," Tony roared at the phone, his anger enveloping him as he looked at the phone. "You touch one hair of her head or my kids and I'll rip you into little pieces and send them to every Arab country known for involvement with terrorism."

"You are in no position to dictate, Special Agent DiNozzo." Ari's voice turned to ice over the phone then warmed to a mocking voice as he added, "I might even have a little fun with her!"

Tony turned around and smashed his hand into the partition behind him. He needed to let his anger out as safely as possible. "You do that, I swear that I will kill you with my bare hands, Mossad trained or not."

Gibbs interjected, "What do you want Ari."

"You Gibbs, and your team," Ari answered, seconds later. "You will bring a prisoner from Guantanamo Bay here to this address when I call you again."

"A name," Gibbs said into the phone, "Ari, I need a name!"

"You will get it, Jethro," Ari said calmly. "I will call you at 1500 hours today with the name, and you better have him on the flight from Guantanamo Bay or Jason DiNozzo dies!"

McGee restrained Tony with great effort as Michelle covered his mouth forcing any words back down his throat.

Gibbs continued, "How will we know that you haven't killed him, Ari?"

"I'll know that the prisoner is on the flight," Ari replied calmly as if he had control of the whole situation, which he was indeed. "Also I will call you to confirm the fact at 2030 hours this evening. Any foul play on your part and I'll kill the boy in front of his mother."

_A/N: Not pulling any punches here, you got to really hate Ari. don't you? He makes your flesh crawl just with his arrogance alone. It is enough to want to kill him yourself! _


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I don't own any characters that appear on the TV show, they all belong to Belisarius Productions and CBS. The original characters are all mine, I tell you__ all mine._

Tony paced the length of the squad room trying hard to come up with some sort of plan. He knew he wasn't the only one; Gibbs was up speaking with Director Morrow about the situation. Tony knew that Ari would be watching Gibbs and Morrow in conversation just like he was watching the other squad members; he could even be watching Abby and Ducky. He stopped to lean on the window frame and looked out towards the naval yard and the city beyond. _Somewhere out there Kate, I know you're watching me_. His head hung low. _I'm sorry for not protecting you more, I should have known better._ He hammered his hand on the window pane, the glass shaking from the impact. "DiNozzo," Gibbs called to him as he descended the stairs.

Tony turned around to see Gibbs walk around the stairs and over to him. "With me in the conference room, most likely the only place Ari hasn't thought to place a camera!"

Tony followed behind his boss. Gibbs hit the button for the elevator and seconds later the door opened. Gibbs stepped in and waited for Tony to follow. The doors closed and the elevator began its descent. The power shut down and Gibbs turned to Tony. "I spoke with the Director, he says that American security is more important then your family at this time!"

Tony shook as his anger flared and became uncontrollable, "Has he got his wife and kids' lives hanging in his hands."

Gibbs placed a hand on Tony's shoulder and looked at him. "Easy Tony, he understands!"

"Yeah, how," Tony said, his anger now only simmering.

"He's given the team twenty-four before he calls the Director of the FBI to take control," Gibbs said calmly, hoping that the calm would steady Tony. "That means we have to find that bastard as quickly as possible. We'll get Abby to begin searching via the call we received."

"No, Boss." Tony shook his head.

"No, DiNozzo," Gibbs said, his anger flaring now.

Tony nodded and drew his attention to Ari's style of operation. "Remember he knew our every move, he expects us to do exactly that. Let us instead await his call with the information on the prisoner and let him sweat it out."

Gibbs smiled slightly. "Nice work Tony. I'll place a call to Fornell and see what our options with offence are. Right, let's keep Ari guessing. Return to your pacing of the room, Tony!"

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Ari smiled as he watched Tony return to pacing the room. Gibbs walked back up the stairs to MTAC. Ari turned to his camera operator. "Afridi, continue to monitor Special Agent Gibbs, I think he's planning something."

"Yes, Haswari." Afridi turned and nodded, then looked back at the small security monitors that he sat at.

Ari turned and smiled at Kate, her eyes never leaving Tony on the LCD screen in front of her. She turned her attention towards him for a moment, Ari's eye no longer looked kindly at her. _Did his eyes look kind when he blew out Gerald's shoulder?_ _Eyes can lie Kate, you meet him again, don't you forget that. _Gibbs' voice flooded through her memory. 'I won't,' had been her response to Gibbs. Now she didn't, she was going to kill him. Ari's eyes now more than ever looked lustfully at her, his smile was the sort of smile that he used to seduce women with, Kate guessed, and at one point, she would have fallen for it.

"Tell me what you're thinking, Caitlin," Ari said, a superior grin on his face. He turned to Omar. "Remove the tape from her mouth,"

"Haswari," Omar said fiercely, looking at Ari.

Ari's eyes flicked to Omar, an ice cold glare focused on Omar. "Am I in charge or you Omar…?" He paused and walked over to Omar, gripped him around the neck. A knife flicked in front of Omar's right eye. "I am in charge, not you. Unless you want to lose an eye, I suggest you keep your mouth shut!"

Omar bowed his head. "My apologies, Haswari." Omar walked over to Kate. He removed the tape from Kate's mouth and Kate spat at him. Omar shouted something in Arabic and his hand smashed across her face. Her head knocked back from the force of the blow. Kate tasted blood in her mouth. Her lip was split, she felt blood trickle down to her chin. _Like last time, _she mused.

"You try my patience Omar," Ari gripped Omar's hand as it rose to smack Kate for the second time, "Get back over there with Afridi!" Omar pulled his arm from Ari's grasp and stomped off to where Afridi sat in front of the monitors.

"What am I thinking Ari, let me think." Kate snapped at him, "A bullet in your head, Ari."

Ari laughed, not a light laugh more a predatory laugh. "You are very funny, Caitlin!" Ari turned to the LCD screen; an evil smile crept over his face. "Ah, it seems that FBI realised that I'm now once again in the country. Agent Fornell has arrived along with another Agent and Mossad Officer Eschel Namir, interesting!" Kate made no comment, she remained silent and unmoving. Ari picked up the phone and dialled the number for Gibbs' cell phone.

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Fornell strode onto the floor. He glanced at Tony who paced up and down, worry clearly on his face. Gibbs looked up from his desk at Fornell, Sacks and the newcomer. "Took you long enough, he's watching us as we speak."

"Sorry Jethro, Mossad only alerted us half and hour ago." Fornell looked back at the newcomer.

"What's he doing here," Gibbs said, a scowl on his face.

The man stepped forward. "I am here, Agent Gibbs, under the specific instructions of the Director David of Mossad. If anyone knows Ari, it is me."

Gibbs looked him up and down. A handsome man with a beard and moustache who Gibbs guessed was in his late twenties early thirties. "You are?"

"Eschel Namir, Mossad," the man named Namir said as he handed over his ID to Gibbs.

Gibbs glanced at it and handed it back to Eschel. Looking past the Israeli, he saw Sacks for the first time. He looked at Fornell. "Conference room, now!"

"What? What's up with you now?" Tobias Fornell asked as he followed Gibbs into the elevator. The doors of the elevator opened and Gibbs and Fornell climbed in. Gibbs hit the button on the elevator and shut the power down.

"This is the only place we believe Ari hasn't got a camera," Gibbs said before he continued. "In answer to your question, Tobias, you brought along the one man Tony wouldn't hesitate to rip apart in the present state he's in." Gibbs was furious.

"Sacks," Fornell said, the word sounding bitter on his tongue, "the Director ordered me to bring him along, and it wasn't my choice."

"Yeah, well, now you've got a problem," Gibbs said, calming slightly, "Kate and the kids have been kidnapped by Ari. Tony, McGee, Lee and I have already been threatened and we had to restrain Tony. So having Sacks here makes the situation with Ari calling again, serious," Gibbs paused. "Tony's in the mood to do real damage to himself or someone else."

"Take him off the case," Tobias suggested.

"Would you, Tobias?" Gibbs asked questioningly.

Tobias shook his head. "No, I wouldn't. That would make things far worse. He'd begin to do things on his own and go in there alone."

"You said it." Gibbs shook his head. "The state that he's in, if I were to take him of this mission, he might go and do something stupid. He may save his wife and kids, but at what price? Most likely his own death. Would you want that on your hands, Tobias?"

Fornell shook his head. "No, Jethro, I would not!"

Gibbs cell rang. "Yeah, Gibbs!"

_A/N: Eschel Namir of Mossad is a real character just to let you know he appears in Season 4 episode 1 _**'Shalom'**_, he's one of the bad guys, I decided because this was an Alternate Universe story, I'd make him a good guy, seeing that Ziva is nowhere to be found._


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Characters that appear in the TV show they are all owned by Belisarius Productions and CBS, savvy! The original Characters are all mine, welcome to the Caribbean, Love!_

"I can't see you Jethro." Ari's smooth voice said malevolently in the receiver of Gibbs' cell phone. "Come out of your hiding place or Caitlin and one of the children dies this minute. You wouldn't want their blood on your hands and have to tell DiNozzo would you?"

"We're coming out, Ari," Gibbs said, biting back."Stop calling the cell and start using the other phone. We're not tracing the call."

"I wish I could say I believe you," Ari's voice was full of arrogance as he replied into Gibbs' ear.

As the elevator doors opened, Gibbs and Tobias Fornell walked back into the bullpen.

"But I think you're too predictable for me to believe that, ah, that's better. I'll call you on your phone soon!" Gibbs shut his cell, and walked to his desk, he looked around. _Where has Michelle got too_? The thought rushing through his head as he turned this way and that, looking for his stray Agent.

"Where's Lee?" Gibbs yelled angrily to no one in particular.

McGee looked up from his desk. "She's down with Abby tracing the calls that Ari's been making."

Gibbs shook his head. "I thought I made it abundantly clear that we will not waste time tracing his call, he wants us to come straight to him."

"Sorry, boss," McGee said. "I didn't pick that up."

"Never say sorry, it's a sign of weakness," Gibbs said, looking over at him. "How many times do I have to say it. 

Gibbs turned to Tobias who was now on the phone. Seconds later, Fornell shut the phone down and turned to Gibbs, gesturing at Sacks. "He's going right now!"

"Good!" Gibbs nodded at the judgement shown by the FBI Director to call Sacks off the case, "anything else your Director wants to tell us?"

"Several items were left at the scene as well as a body," Fornell said as Tony stopped pacing. He walked over to the two older men and listened intently to the conversation. "The couple of items we will send down to Sciuto. The body I think, DiNotzo, and Dr Mallard could be the most helpful looking at it and giving us any information on our dead body."

Gibbs looked up. "Right Tony, head down to autopsy to help Ducky." Gibbs looked over at McGee. "McGee!"

"Yeah, boss." The younger man looked up, he had been eavesdropping from his desk and Gibbs knew it.

"Head down to Forensics and see what you can help Abby with down there," Gibbs said. He started to turn back to Fornell and stopped. "Have Agent Lee report to me ASAP!"

"Right, boss," McGee said, heading for the second elevator.

Gibbs looked back at Tony. "You waiting for an invitation Tony?"

"No, boss," Tony began, "I just figured that when Ari called I should be present." He stopped and looked at Gibbs' facial expression of impatience. "On it, boss!"

Gibbs turned to Eschel Namir. Behind the Mossad Agent, Fornell was talking to Sacks in a discreet voice. Sacks shook his head in anger then nodded, and headed for the elevator. Gibbs waited for Fornell to return to the desk before he spoke to Eschel.

"Ari wants a particular prisoner handed over to him or Agent DiNozzo's family is going to die. What does Ari set to gain from this particular mission?"

"Revenge," Eschel said simply.

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Tony walked slowly out of the elevator. The door into autopsy slid open for him and he made his way quickly into the sanctuary of the dead. Jimmy Palmer looked up from cleaning the body lying on the slab and smiled, "Hey Tony, what's happening." Ducky turned to face Tony as he closed the gap between himself and the good Doctor.

"I'm great, Jimmy," Tony lied unconvincingly. Ducky could tell by the droop of the shoulders, the slight slur to his words, his voice sounded worn out and he looked emotionally drained. Jimmy didn't notice any of it and if he did, he did a very good job of not noticing and not wanting to find out more. He went back to work on the body and was now in the process of cleaning.

Ducky grasped Tony's arm, leading him to his chair over at the desk against the wall. "Gibbs called me saying that you were on your way down," Ducky patted Tony's shoulder as the young man slumped into the chair. Ducky leaned in and looked at Tony. "What is going on, Anthony?" Ducky asked forthrightly. "You look like you've been run over by a truck. The FBI Agents that brought the body in said little, if nothing, at all?"

Tony eyes swivelled to the body lying on the slab. "Where did he come from Duck?"

"According to the Agents that dropped the body off," Ducky said, walking back over to the body, "he was found in a house in Georgetown!"

Tony rose from the seat slowly. "Ducky, tell me what you can clearly see just at first glance. What strikes you?"

Ducky bent over the body, pausing for a few moments as he took in the still slightly bloodied corpse. Ducky stepped back for a moment, and looked at Jimmy. "Would you agree, Mr Palmer, that the dead man has been shot by someone with knowledge of anatomy?"

Jimmy bent over the body, looking intently. "Yes, Doctor. I also think the bullet wound to the shoulder was done at least half an hour before the kill shot!"

Ducky looked up at Palmer. "Really, how would you surmise that, Mr Palmer? To what extent? Did this shoulder wound play a part in this man's death?"

Palmer stood frozen as he thought it through. He was saved by Tony who answered, "A sign, Ducky, something that played a part in your life. The killer knew you would be given the body."

"You knew didn't you?" Ducky's mouth tightened as his mind exploded back to Ari blowing a whole in Gerald's shoulder. He shook his head then he glared at Tony. "You knew the bastard was back, how long were you going to keep me in the dark, Anthony?"

Tony stiffened at Ducky's accusing question. He ran a shaky hand over his face, which was full of frustration and anger. "I didn't think…" he began. He looked up at Ducky and started again. "My mind was on other things, Duck!"

"Such as?" Ducky asked, his eyes boring into Tony.

"Kate and the kids!" Tony answered as he looked back at Ducky whose hard face hadn't changed. Tony let out a shout of frustration that made Jimmy leap out of his skin. He shook himself furiously against one of the slabs. "The bastard's got them, Duck. I let him take them. I should have been there to stop him!"

Ducky's face melted as these words washed over him. He walked over to Tony and placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "Anthony, I'm sorry."

Tony nodded. "Not your fault, Duck, its mine!"

"What would you have achieved if you had been there," Duck said analytically as well as tactfully.

"Doubtless, you would have been killed even if you had prevented them for a few moments," Ducky pointed out. "Kate, Isabel and Jason would still be in Ari's hands, but they also would have witnessed a real nightmare, their Dad's death!"

"No, right here, right now, you have an opportunity to make a difference," Ducky said, looking at Tony helpfully. "Demand the bastard to allow you to speak with Kate and Isabel, and give him an ultimatum. Tell him if he doesn't then whatever he is requesting will not be granted."

"Gibbs would never allow it," Tony said, looking at Ducky and then Jimmy.

Ducky smiled warmly at him. "Try!"

_A/N: All right the story has slowed down in this chapter. I'm sorry, but like I said at the beginning, I'm doing this by feel. So I have to make the plot work, so unfortunately I have to slow the chapter down to make it work. _


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: I don't own Characters that are official; they belong to Belisarius productions and CBS. The originals however are all mine, they belong to me I tell you, me! So yeah, they also make the story work better, I think!_

Timothy McGee walked into the forensics lab; Abby and Michelle were busy working at the computer. Abby turned aroundas she heard McGee walk into the room. She smiled at him then walked over to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Hello, handsome man!"

McGee grinned at her, sliding his hand over her slowly growing tummy for enfaces. "Hello, you hot sexy thing." Then he slowly pulled her arms from his neck as Michelle Lee made an attempt at coughing loudly and turned to look at the engaged couple.

"Sweetheart, Gibbs needs the results from evidence that the FBI brought in!" McGee said.

Abby smiled and did an about-face and walked quickly to the bench on which the evidence sat. McGee quickly turned to Michelle before following Abby. "Michelle, what have you got?"

"Well, the calls are coming from the industrial area around the naval yard so he's close," Michelle said turning to him, wary of Abby's intense stare at McGee, "I can't get a fix because either Ari finishes too quickly or he's using a scrambler, so we can't get a accurate fix!"

McGee nodded. "Right, good use of initiative. Gibbs wants to see you."

Michelle's shoulders slumped. "I can't do anything right with him."

"It's Gibbs," McGee said, shrugging his shoulders, "you're not suppose to try, you're supposed to do, I'm still learning that." Michelle turned and headed for the door. McGee turned around to face Abby. "Okay, what's that look for?'

"You hug me like I'm the most important person in the world," Abby said, her face turning sour, "then you go ahead and talk to Michelle, completely ignoring me!"

McGee walked over to her; placing his hand on her own. Abby pulled it away immediately, still giving him the sour look. "Abs, look, I'm sorry. It won't happen again, I promise."

Abby face changed in a second, she beamed at him. "You're so easy to manipulate," Abby smiled, "I bet Gibbs isn't happy with Michelle trying to trace the call, hey?"

"Oh, yeah," McGee said sarcastically, both of his eyebrows rising as he spoke. "When she gets up to the bull pen, I don't want to be there."

Abby tilted her head sideways at him. "How come?"

"You remember when we first were trying to identify Ari," McGee said. Abby nodded as he paused. "Gibbs accused me of just being around because of you!"

"You were though, seeing me as much as you possibly could, Tim," Abby said innocently.

"Not the point I'm making here, Abs." McGee's eyebrows rose. "Remember he also tore into me about finding Ari's name."

Abby smiled at the recollection. "How could I forget?"

McGee smiled at her; she hadn't been on the receiving end of the barrage. "Well, I have a feeling that Michelle is going to be on the receiving end of another Gibbs blast."

"Why," Abby said.

"Because Gibbs and Tony want Ari to tell them where he is, almost get him to trust them so they can do everything he has requested," McGee said. Abby now understood. "It would seem that Ari has eyes on you here as well. He knew that Michelle was trying to trace the call, we've lost some trust before we've begun!"

Abby nodded. "I see!"

McGee decided to change the subject, turning to the reason that he was down here for. "So what have you found on the evidence?"

"Ducky has sent me up a bullet that matches a shell casing." Abby held up both the casing and the bullet. She walked around to her computer and typed away at the keyboard furiously, then looked up. "I was able to get a print from the casing, guess who?"

"Abs." McGee gave her an inpatient glance.

Abby looked at him, her face was serious as she hit enter and the photo and ID came up on the screen. "Mrs. Caitlin Todd-DiNozzo!"

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"All I have to say to you, Michelle, is that you had better have a damn good reason for screwing up our trust with Ari." Anger flooding Gibbs face. As he and Agent Lee stood in the elevator. "With that stunt you pulled with the phone trace!"

"I used my initiative." Michelle eyeballed Gibbs. "I thought it was better than me sitting at my desk like DiNozzo doing nothing!"

Gibbs puffed exasperatedly, taking in what Michelle said. _We're all like that at the moment, Michelle_. "You could have at least told me what you were doing. Ari saw you doing it, and he informed me. No one else told me, it had to be him, didn't it?"

Michelle bent her head in shame, "I'm sorry, Gibbs."

Gibbs placed a hand on her shoulder. "Never say you're sorry, it's a sign of weakness." Gibbs hit the power button on the elevator, and the elevator rose once more to the squad room. "Come on, let's see if we can repair the damage somehow." Michelle nodded, there were tears in her eyes and Gibbs shook his head. _I must be getting old. If Tony did something like that, I would've ripped him to shreds_. The door opened and Gibbs and Michelle walked into the squad room and the bull pen.

"He wants to talk to your entire team," Fornell said, his hand over the receiver. He looked at Eschel Namir who now sat at Tony's desk. "First he wants to talk to you, though."

Gibbs picked up his cell and flipped it open. He looked over at Michelle. "Call McGee and Abby, have them both up here in two minutes." Michelle nodded and went to her desk, the one opposite Tony's.

Eschel rose from the desk and walked over to Fornell as Gibbs spoke into the cell phone, "Ducky, I need you, Tony and Palmer up here right away."

_A/N: Once again I would like to apologise for the story slowing slightly, but now these next couple of chapters set the scene for the final act. Enjoy._


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer: Belisarius productions and CBS own the characters that appear in this story that are from the TV show. The Characters that appear in this story that aren't on the TV show, I own_.

Eschel stood calmly over the phone. "Shalom Ari."

"Eschel, my old friend, I was wondering who my father would send to do his dirty work," Ari said sinisterly.

Eschel sat down in Gibbs' chair. He calmly he took a sip of water; it dripped over his chin and through his beard and moustache.

"I hate to disappoint you, Ari, but I'm not here to execute you," Eschel said wiping away some of the water. "I'm only here as an intelligence officer, providing information to NCIS and the FBI about you, nothing more."

Ari laughed over the speaker. "You amuse me. After what I did to your sister, you claim you're not after my blood?"

Eschel played the trump card. "We both know that if Mossad was to send someone to kill you, it would be your father himself."

Deputy Director David had the highest scores of any one in the Israeli agency. He was also still a formidable opponent and one of the best Agents Mossad had ever produced. Ari, when he had trained, had worked extremely hard to better his father. Ari never reached the scores that his father had made. Ari also knew that despite Deputy Director David's age, David was still better than his son.

"We know all about the missing funds, Ari," Eschel said more confidently. "If the Americans fail, which I do not foresee, Mossad with send their best man and you will not remain alive for much longer!" As Eschel spoke, the rest of Gibbs team filed in. The Mossad Agent looked up and nodded to them all.

"Enough," Ari snapped at him. Eschel smiled at the reaction.

"He's all yours, Agent Gibbs," Eschel said, walking back to Tony's desk.

Tony placed a hand on Gibbs' chest, to stop him and walked over to the phone. "Ari, before we even begin to accept your demands, I want to make a demand of my own."

"Oh, you do?" Ari sounded like he was expecting this to come. "Please, I look forward to hearing this request of yours."

"You let me talk to both my wife and my daughter or you get nothing," Tony said his tone flat and to the point. "I mean it, Ari."

Ari sighed over the phone. "Very well, I'll allow you to speak with both of them. You'll have two minutes, any tricks and I'll cut their throats, understand."

Tony nodded. "Fair enough."

"Tony," Kate's voice filled the room. Tony let out a sigh of relief.

"Katie, honey," Tony said quickly and took a deep breath, "I'm sorry I should have been there!"

"Tony, I'm glad you weren't," Kate said earnestly. "I couldn't bare you not being around. Now listen to me, I don't want you trying to be a hero."

"I won't." Tony glanced at his watch. "I love you, Kate!"

"There, that wasn't difficult," Ari said after a few seconds. "Now before you speak with your daughter, I want you to take this name down and have this prisoner flown from Guantanamo Bay to Washington. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Tony said, nodding at phone. Gibbs looked over Tony's shoulder as he grabbed a pen and a bit of paper. Tony took a deep breath, "Go ahead!"

"Muhammad Al Mahidi," Ari said, "you have an hour before the plane leaves Guantanamo Bay. If he is not aboard the plane when I call at 2030 this evening, your wife and daughter die. Is that understood?"

"Yes, we understand," Gibbs said as he looked at the name that Tony handed to him. "Now, Ari put Isabel on the phone."

"Daddy, Uncle Gibbs," Isabel's voice whimpered.

"Izzie, sweetie," Tony exclaimed tears of relief running down his face as he heard his daughters voice, "I'm coming to get you real soon, I promise."

Izzie started to cry and Tony felt his heart tear apart. He didn't really understand how Isabel felt, but he knew that he had to calm her down and get her to stop crying. "Isabel Kelly DiNozzo, you need to stop crying, sweetheart. Take a deep breath, close your eyes and it'll all be over soon I promise. Do you understand?"

"Yes, daddy," Isabel said whimpering again, "hurry, daddy, I don't like it. Make it stop, daddy." Isabel's voice faded into background, but Tony could hear her screaming for him.

"Now you have your motivation," Ari said, his voice like steel. "You will cooperate and give me the man I want!" The line went dead. Tony wiped away tears that seemed to be constantly running down his face. He rose from the seat, walked over to the window and looked out.

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"McGee, get me the file on Al Mahidi. Michelle, get me in contact with Agent Cassidy. Ducky, Jimmy, I want you guys to be our eyes and ears here in the office, locate those hidden cameras," Gibbs said, looking at Tony the whole time. Gibbs took Abby by the arm. "Abs, meet me down in garage in ten minutes, take Tony with you." Gibbs turned towards the window where Tony stood wiping his eyes and looking out the window. "DiNozzo!"

"Yeah, Boss," Tony replied, turning around, his eye appearing red-rimmed and bloodshot.

Gibbs motioned for Tony to climb the stairs with him. They stopped halfway up. "You're not going into see the Director with us."

"Boss…" Tony began.

Gibbs held his hand up and his eyes told Tony to keep his mouth shut. "I don't want you inside the office because what is said may well go against saving Kate and the kids."

Gibbs placed his hand on Tony's shoulder. "We're going to get them back, Tony, but I'm protecting you this once. Don't come in."

"I understand, boss," Tony nodded, fully comprehending what Gibbs was saying.

"Agent Gibbs," Officer Namir called him. Gibbs descended the stairs, leaving Tony standing on the platform half way up overlooking everybody. Gibbs headed over to Eschel who stood by his desk. Abby walked up the stairs placed her hand on his and Tony obediently followed her to the elevator.

"All right, Eschel, tell me everything you know," Gibbs said, his gaze piercing. "I need to know what Mossad has instructed you to do in this matter."

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Ari watched as Gibbs, Fornell and Eschel Namir all climbed the stairs to the director's office. He turned back to Kate, dabbing her split lip with a wet cloth. "The decision is being made without your husband, so will you pay the price or will they bring Mahidi to us?"

Kate said nothing for a moment. "Tony would obey Gibbs and follow orders, and he'd hate himself the rest of his life, but if it came down to me versus the country, he would give me up."

Ari smiled intently at her. "You think so!"

"Yes," Kate nodded stubbornly.

"We shall see," Ari said, turning back to the LCD screen. "I hope that you are proven wrong for your sake and your children's sake. I would hate to be the father who had to make the call to see his wife and children die because his country was more important!"

_A/N: Okay, trust me, Tony and Gibbs will get them out of there safely._


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: All right, the characters are owned Belisarius Productions and CBS. Any originals are mine okay, now that's cleared up we can get on with the story.

"Officer Namir," Director Morrow said, looking at the Mossad Agent, "please inform Agents Gibbs and Fornell on Muhammad Al Mahidi and where Mossad stands in this situation. Should this Operation fail!"

Eschel nodded to the Director who sat at one end of the table. He then turned to the two older men sitting across from him. "Ari wants Muhammad Al Mahidi. He was captured by Australian Soldiers in Southern Iraq two years ago. At the time it was believed that he was an insurgent arms supplier."

Eschel slid a file across the table to Gibbs. "This file was given to me personally by Director David. In it, it explains information that members of Mossad were able to obtain about Al Mahidi."

"Enlighten us, Eschel," Gibbs said, looking at the Hebrew script on each page.

"Al Mahidi is actually the leader of insurgent forces that plan to topple the present Iraqi Government as soon as Coalition forces withdraw," Eschel stated. "You remember Ayatollah Khomeini of Iran?"

"Who could forget?" Fornell looked at Gibbs who nodded.

"Al Mahidi is the equivalent in Iraq. He is considered far worse than the Khomeini and Saddam put together and that's saying something," Eschel said, looking back at all three men.

"If Ari is allowed to take Al Mahidi back to Iraq, then Israel will likely face Invasion by a greater Arab force than ever seen before. All the nations will join under Al Mahidi's banner of Jihad against Israel," Eschel said, hands clasped tightly together. "Total annihilation of my people that Mossad and I cannot allow!"

Gibbs looked at Eschel intently. "What if we could promise that Al Mahidi would never step off American soil and that Ari would disappear as well!"

"Not meaning to be rude, Gibbs." Eschel said. A nervous grin playing across his face, "but Ari has out thought you every time he has faced you in any mission before. What makes you think you can out think him this time?"

Gibbs pointed towards the door, his eyes alight. "I have a man down there who would give his front teeth just to have a glimpse of his wife and kids. I believe that Tony is the man who can out think Ari. He has more to lose than anyone else. I say we trust him for a plan."

Director Tom Morrow looked at Gibbs. "If he doesn't?"

Fornell smiled, knowing Gibbs was right. "Then you better pray Tom because one way or another Ari will get Al Mahidi. It may not be today, it might be tomorrow, but he doesn't allow for a slight mishap like us stand in his way, am I right Officer Namir?"

Eschel nodded, looking at the Director. "Ari will not give up, he will slaughter hundred maybe thousands to get what he wants."

Director Morrow nodded to Gibbs. "Jethro, you have four hours before Al Mahidi arrives. If you haven't planned the Op to the final detail by then, we scrub and DiNozzo's family's death will be on your hands."

Gibbs nodded seriously at the comment. "Let's hope that's not the case."

Gibbs and Fornell descended the stairs at a rate of knots. They passed the bullpen, Gibbs ignoring his name being called. The elevator opened and the two older men stepped in. The elevator dropped to the garage floor and Fornell and Gibbs stepped out.

Fornell looked about. "You're taking an awfully big risk to do this in the open. Ari may have a camera down here!"

"Nope, he doesn't. Ducky and Jimmy checked it out before we finished our meeting," Gibbs said smiling. They walked slowly over to Abby and Tony who sat next to the bench, Tony's Armani shoes sitting on the bench, the soles of the shoes missing, a long rectangular gap down the centre. Gibbs looked down at Tony's silk socks and smiled. "Sorry Tony."

Tony shook his head. "You're sorry, you want to cut holes in my shoes." He glanced at Fornell and gestured at Gibbs. "We're going to get searched for weapons and a knife is supposed to hide in the bottom of shoe. What were you planning on doing then, Gibbs?"

"You're the movie expert, as you continually remind not just us but the whole world," Gibbs said smirking. "Suggest to me how we could beat at least five armed men, not including Ari, with knives in hidden in our shoes."

Tony shook his head. "We can't." Then his eyes opened wide. "Hold everything, remember there was a movie called Navy Seals, starring Charlie Sheen and Michael Behin. Great movie, well, one of their squad members, I think it was Bill Paxton. Anyway, he uses a long range rifle with 30mm Armor piercing rounds that allows for penetration through walls. It had an infer-red scope on the top."

"The point Tony," Gibbs said impatiently.

"Well, if Michelle was right about the address down by the naval yard," Tony said, smiling even more, "Fornell could get a fire team down there with those particular weapons to cover us."

"What would that achieve, DiNotzo?" Fornell asked skeptically.

"It would provide us with cover and you could hit them from every angle," Tony explained.

"I mean now the infer-red scopes are so much better, they could detect who had a weapon and who didn't. Even if they don't hit anybody, with you around boss, confusion could be the key to Kate and the Kids lives. We should at least give it a try," Tony said, pleased with his ability to think quickly.

"Nice going, Tony," Gibbs said, smiling that he had been right. Knowing that Tony had so much to lose, he was willing to try the impossible. Gibbs slid his shoes off and handed them over to Abby.

"Gibbs." Abby screwed up her nose. "Your feet stink."

Gibbs, Fornell and Tony walked out of the elevator. To an observer, Gibbs and Tony weren't walking as comfortable as possible, but to the untrained, it would have just looked like they had something had got stuck in there shoe.

"McGee, status on file," Gibbs said, walking over to his desk and sitting down.

"Pretty bare, nothing much on him at all." McGee shrugged and tried to look helpful.

Gibbs smiled at him. "Forget it, we've got enough information on him."

"Gibbs." Michelle descended the stairs from MTAC. "Paula Cassidy is standing by for you as we speak!"

Gibbs rose from his desk and headed up stairs, Tony following along behind quickly. They both climbed, leaping stairs as quickly as they could. Gibbs scanned his eyes and he and Tony walked into MTAC.

"Hey, Gibbs," Cassidy said from the large screen in front of them. "Hey, Tony, how's Kate and the Kids?"

Tony grimaced at the comment. He let it slide; Paula Cassidy didn't know what he did.

"Paula." Gibbs nodded to Cassidy. "Here's the situation."

Gibbs explained what had happened, Ari's demand and Mossad's response if the Op failed.

"So I need you to get him on that plane, no matter what," Gibbs said as he finished explaining. "You understand Cassidy!"

"Sure, Gibbs," Paula said nodding. "What if the Director finds out?"

"Pass him onto me. I'll deal with the Director," Gibbs said

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Ari smiled as he climbed down the stairs, NCIS was busy. They were going to deliver to him Muhammad Al Mahidi and he was going to be generously rewarded. But before that could happen, he had to kill Gibbs and all those at NCIS that had caused him problems. That would begin soon.

Ari walked over to Karima who stood over Jason. Ari's arms wrapped around her and he smiled. "Soon, Karima, Sayedi will have his war with Israel and I will have my revenge on Gibbs. Then we will be free from the yoke of Sayedi."

"Ari, we must still tread carefully," Karima said as Ari kissed her neck. Ari looked down at Jason. He had slept through most of his time here. Kate had not been called once yet which surprised him. He thought Jason would have wanted to be fed, but he just slept peacefully. He let go of Karima and bent down, running his hand over the boy's head. Soon his son would be born and his wife to be would be with him in Brazil.

"I'm afraid you are right," Ari said, rising again.

"Haswari," Husseini said, his hand over the phone that he held, "our contact in Cuba confirms that Al Mahidi is being transported to the plane bound for Andrews Air Force base."

"Excellent," Ari said, then turned to Karima. "Everything is going as planned. I have out thought Gibbs for the final time." Ari walked confidently back to the steps of the platform and he ascended the steps onto the platform, where Kate still sat.

"It seems you were wrong about what would happen, Caitlin." Kate said nothing. Ari continued running his hand through her hair, almost like the way a lover would. "Soon we will have the man we came for and you can go back to your husband with your children."

"He must be important for you to want him so badly," Kate said, looking into Ari's hate filled eyes. Ari had never been good at not answering her questions, she pressed on. "Why else would you risk taking me and my kids alive? Gibbs would never submit to your demand otherwise, why would he?"

"Enough," Ari said, grabbing her arms hard and shaking her. "When this is all over you will watch Gibbs, your husband and all you hold dear will die in front of your eyes."

"You underestimate Tony," Kate said. She was getting under his skin. "He was always the one person you underestimated."

"I may just have his measure," Ari said, as his hands slid from Kate's shoulders down her body. She closed her eye, resisting as much as she could. "You are his poison, Caitlin, and I will destroy him with you. At the end he will beg me to put an end to his life before he watches anymore!"


	9. Chapter 9

_Disclaimer: NCIS characters that appear on the show are not mine, they belong to Belisarius Productions and CBS. The originals are all mine, they help me tell the story._

_A/N: I just want to give my friend and beta Emypink a shout out for excellent work, and for all her help in making this story work, Thank Em! Please continue to review, thanks for all your reviews so far I really appreciate them._

The blue Chrysler pulled up at the main gate of the Andrews Air Force Base. The USAF military police, a corporal stripe in his arm, stepped out of his box by the gate. The car window wound down and The MP looked into the dark cabin of the car. "ID, please sir!"

Gibbs looked at the MP. His hand shot out of the window, badge and ID in hand. "Gibbs, NCIS."

"Yes, sir," The MP saluted, "if you just head for the strip, Captain Martin has his men in position for prisoner transfer."

"Thank you, Corporal," Gibbs said as the gate opened and he wound up his window. The car rolled forward over the gate. Gibbs looked at Tony who sat quietly, almost numbly, looking straight ahead as the car headed for the runway and tarmac.

"You okay, Tony," Gibbs asked, slight worry etched on his face. Since Tony's outburst earlier that day, Gibbs had noticed that Tony hadn't said much, unless he was asked to. Now, at this particular moment, he looked solemn and dour.

Tony turned to Gibbs and gave Gibbs an exaggerated smile and false answer. "Sure, boss. The sooner we give Ari this guy, the sooner Kate and the kids are back, no sweat." Gibbs grimaced as Tony concentrated on the road. Sooner or later, the stress and anxiety that filled Tony up on the inside would explode and he would react significantly to anything. Gibbs was glad that Tobias Fornell had pulled Agent Sacks off the case; Tony had never gotten along well with Sacks since being framed by the Mafia. Gibbs knew Tony would probably request riding with Al Mahidi in the armored van. He had decided to ride the van himself and Tony could follow on behind.

The car turned off the road, approaching the gate to the hangar area around the tarmac. The MP on guard walked out and held up his hand. The car slowed and the window once again was wound down.

"Evening sir, I just need some ID, regulations." The MP lent down on the doorframe. Gibbs produced his ID and badge, flashed it in front of the MP's face. "Thank you, sir," the MP saluted, stepped back and activated the gate. The gate slid open and the car rolled slowly through the gate. They made a b-line for the C-130 Hercules now sitting on the tarmac. A group of Marines formed a complete circle around the plane. Next to the plane, an armored van sat quietly, no movement within. Gibbs slowly rolled through the Marine cordon and pulled up next to the Hercules.

Gibbs shut the engine of the car off. The door of the car opened and Gibbs and DiNozzo climbed out of the vehicle. The small door in the cargo plane's side opened and Paula Cassidy stepped down onto the tarmac. Cassidy met Gibbs and DiNozzo a little way away from the Hercules. "Hello Gibbs, Tony." Cassidy smiled at her two ex-teammates.

"Cassidy." Gibbs gave her a smile. "How's our friend doing?"

"Hey Paula." Tony smiled at Cassidy, but there was no flirting or even the occasional banter that came along in their relationship this evening. Tony was focused on one thing and that was to rescue his wife and kids.

Paula placed a hand on Tony's arm. She turned back to Gibbs to answer his question. "He's sitting down in an orange jumpsuit, chained hand and foot and crowing about the fact that he's about to be free."

"Sounds like your ordinary crim," Tony said bitterly as he started for the door.

Gibbs griped his arm and held him steady. Not allowing him to move a single pace further, he said, "Tony, you and Cassidy take the car. Al Mahidi and I will travel in the van alone."

"Boss…" Tony began to argue.

Gibbs gave him a frigid look. "Are you deaf or stupid? I said I will be with Mahidi on the trip back."

"Yes, boss," Tony said anger, frustration and a sense of incompleteness filling him. He stomped off towards the car.

"Show me where he is, Cassidy," Gibbs said, turning to Paula.

Paula stared at him for a moment. "Don't you think you're being a little hard on Tony? I mean, Kate is his wife and Jason and Isabel are his kids."

"Nope," Gibbs said, his eyes watching Tony, "I need him focused and ready for the job at hand, not taking his revenge out on a man who holds his wife and kids in his hands."

Paula shrugged, then turned and led Gibbs into the interior of the Hercules. They walked through a storage area that was packed with files, stationary and paper. Paula then pulled back a cargo net, walking through with Gibbs following behind.

Al Mahidi sat on one side of the cargo plane, he was manacled to the fuselage. Opposite him on a bench sat two Marine MP's both carrying shotguns. Both made no movement save for watching the terrorist sitting across from them. They snapped to attention as Paula and Gibbs walked in. "At ease, Marines," Gibbs said casually. He walked over to Al Mahidi. The man was thin and quite tall. He had dark brown eyes that looked like soulless wells and he wore a scruffy beard and moustache. Gibbs turned back to the Marine MP's. "Transfer papers?"

"Here, sir." The Marine Corporal rose and produced a document. "I'll just need your signature and then you have control of the prisoner."

Gibbs grasped the paper and pen offered to him. He lent against the wall as he signed his name to the paper. He handed the paper back to the MP and turned to Paula. "I take it that you're tagging along with us?"

"You bet," Paula said, her hand on her side arm as Gibbs took the key from the Marine Corporal.

Gibbs nodded. "Good, because I'm putting you in charge of Tony until this mission is over. If he has a problem with that send him to me." Gibbs proceeded to unlock Al Mahidi from the fuselage. The terrorist stretched his arms and legs. Gibbs shoved him through the open cargo net, back the way he and Paula had come. The door in the side of the plane swung open and Gibbs shoved the terrorist out of the plane. Gibbs jerked the man up and eye balled him.

"Let's get one thing straight, you're only being freed because a gutless dirtbag like Ari Haswari decided to take a good man's family hostage in order to gain your release. If you so much as try and escape or irritate me I will put a bullet through your head, clear!"

"Quite, Special Agent…" Al Mahidi's clipped English syntax audible.

"Gibbs," Gibbs said, shoving Al Mahidi towards the armored van. The rear door of the van swung wide and two Marines sat in the back, one jumped out shotgun trained on the terrorist. The other marine seized his hands and chained them to the bar on the ceiling.. Gibbs turned to Paula.

"I can't take a weapon on board so have Tony follow us the whole way," Gibbs said as he handed his SIG, knife and backup to her. "I don't want Ari hitting the van on the way."

"You're the boss, Gibbs," Paula said as Gibbs gave her a smile.

"You know, I miss you as part of the team even with our arguments," Gibbs said as he turned and climbed into the van. Paula nodded, and then with all Gibbs' weapons in hands she walked towards the car.

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The armored van reversed slowly into the garage of NCIS Headquarters at the Washington Naval Yard. Tony, McGee and Cassidy stood close by as the van backed in. Junior agents covered every exit. They would be on guard duty for Al Mahidi until the hostage swap with Ari. The garage door slid down and the van's engine shut down. The driver and guard, who was riding shotgun, climbed out of the cab. The driver unlocked the rear. The doors swung wide and Gibbs climbed down and stretched his legs.

"Right, let's get him inside for the time being," Gibbs said, looking around only to find Tony moving forward. Gibbs intercepted Tony before he reached Al Mahidi. "I wasn't talking to you, DiNozzo." Gibbs looked at McGee. "What are you standing there for? I thought I told you to get him inside."

"Ah, right, boss," McGee stammered. He recovered quickly, moving towards the prisoner.

Gibbs led Tony by the arm towards the fire escape stairs. The whole time they climbed to reach the squad room level, Gibbs kept himself behind Tony. The door opened and both Gibbs and Tony walked into the bullpen.

"Boss, you reacted like I was going to kill him," Tony said in frustration.

"Were you, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked straightforwardly.

Tony shook his head. "No!" He slumped into the chair behind his desk and ran his hands over his face and through his hair.

"Then relax, Tony, you're going to be stressed before you get anywhere near Ari." Gibbs paused. "You'll give the whole game plan away if he detects that."

"Sorry, boss," Tony muttered through his hands.

"Never apologise, it's a …"Gibbs began.

"Sign of weakness, I know. I'll try to remember that, boss," Tony said, taking a deep breath and calming down.

_A/N: The final act is coming up with a really fluffy ending so keep looking out for it._


	10. Chapter 10

_Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that appear from the TV show. Although it would be nice, I could make the side stories work to the advantage of all the shippers out there. I'm getting off track. Belisarius Productions and CBS own all characters, save for the ones that are original there all mine!_

_A/N: Thanks for all your reviews so far. If you hated Ari so far then you'll really detest__him this chapter. Get ready for the beginning of the final act. A special thanks to my beta and friend, EmyPink, your skills are very much appreciated, Thank Em. Enjoy._

Ari watched Tony on the LCD screen who was now taking his seat behind his desk. Ari smiled thinly. Tony appeared to be less nervous than before. _Does he have a plan?_ Ari thought as his head turned to Kate. She sat looking at Tony. Ari's eyes ran across her figure. Smiling wolfishly towards her, Ari walked slowly over to Kate. He placed his hands softly on her shoulders. Kate flinched under his touch. Ari's hands remained on her shoulders.

"I have thought of you on the many lonely nights, Caitlin." Ari bent down to whisper into her ear, his warm breath almost whispery soft on her outer ear. "What it would be like…" Ari began.

Kate's hand suddenly appeared in midair. Ari grabbed it before it reached his face. He pulled Kate's open palm towards him. He turned her hand over, making the back of her hand face upwards. Ari bent his head and lightly kissed it. Kate shivered in repulsion at the overtly sensual gesture of her captor. Ari grinned and chuckled evilly as he let go of her hand.

"Afridi," Ari said, turning to the man sitting in front of the monitors.

"Yes, Haswari?" The man named Afridi looked towards his leader.

"I want you to check all perimeter cameras," Ari said, his face taking on a philosophical look. "Then check the security cameras we placed on the other buildings surrounding us."

Afridi nodded and began typing away. The security screens flashed and half a dozen images of cameras on the surrounding buildings appeared. Afridi ran the diagnostics on the cameras and flicked to several others before he turned to Ari. "Nothing, Haswari. All buildings clear save for a cat."

"When the NCIS agents arrive, check the cameras again," Ari said, before turning towards Kate again.

Her eyes never left Tony, who stood looking at the plasma screen by his desk. As Kate watched him on the LCD screen in front of her. Ari walked over to a table. He picked up a bottle of water and drank from it for a moment. _Something doesn't feel right, but what?_ His thoughts were interrupted by the screams coming from Jason DiNozzo. The four month old had been quiet up till now. Now he was balling his eyes out and Karima was trying to quieten him down.

Ari descended the stairs and walked towards Karima. "What is it? Why is he crying? Ari gritted his teeth. _I can't stand babies and toddlers when they cry!_

"He's hungry, Ari." Karima said it so calmly. _Almost too calmly_, thought Ari.

"Did you bring a bottle?" He whispered to her.

Karima shook her head as she cradled Jason, who was still crying in her arms as she jiggled him up and down? "No, there was no time."

Ari shook his head in frustration and let out a deep breath. "What would you suggest we do then?"

"She can still feed him!" Karima said haughtily as she gestured towards Kate. "Give the boy to her." Karima smiled as she lent into her lover. "You could even guard her."

Ari smiled thinly, an evil and perverse look passed across his face. "That is why I love you, Karima."

Ari took Jason out of his lover's arms. He strode quickly towards the platform and towards Kate. He climbed the steps. Walking over to Kate, he placed Jason into Kate's arms. "He's hungry, Caitlin," Ari said, stepping back for a moment. "You should feed him."

"You didn't bring a bottle?" Kate asked, know the answer already. If Ari had, he wouldn't have put her in such a humiliating position and she knew it.

"No," Ari said, shaking his head. "We were rushing to keep to schedule so I'm afraid, dear Caitlin, you'll have to do the honours."

"I'm not doing it here, Ari," Kate said firmly. She held onto her baby son defiantly as she said the words, daring Ari to try and take Jason out of her hands.

"I completely understand," Ari said, almost gentlemanly. Ari walked around to the back of the chair. Kate felt the barrel of a gun press into the small of her back. "We will be going over to that door. There is a small room behind it." Ari pointed with his free hand. "Try one single thing and I will kill your son and make you watch your daughter die. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal!" Kate almost snarled at him. _He wants to watch, you bastard. If Tony or Gibbs don't kill you, then surely I will!_

"Shall we go?" Ari asked. He pressed the barrel into her back once more. They descended the stairs, walking quickly over to the door. Ari opened the door.

Kate didn't move. "You're going to stay out here!"

Ari smiled lustfully at her, pure evil playing over his face. "I'm sorry, Caitlin. That is not going to happen. You will just have to grin and bare it."

"You sick bastard," Kate whispered harshly at him. _I will kill you when this ends!_

"As I have said once before to you," Ari said, his gaze hardening so that Kate had to look away for a moment, "that is only half true." Ari smiled again, making Kate's skin crawl. "Better to get this over and done with, don't you think?"

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Gibbs' cell phone rang and he flipped it open. "Yeah, Gibbs?" Tony looked up at him. Gibbs shook his head and Tony looked back down at his desk top. "You're sure, Tobias?" Gibbs said as he looked around.

"Well, I suppose since he's got all the other cameras. I don't see why he wouldn't want to cover his ass to prevent us not following his wishes." Gibbs paused as Tobias spoke on the other end.

"Right, I'll send McGee and Lee down right now." Gibbs closed the phone and turned to Tony. "That was Fornell. Apparently Ari has sent up a perimeter of cameras to make sure we don't do exactly what we're planning. Placing your snipers, who will be equipped with Long range rifles with the 30mm armour piercing rounds, on the rooftops of the surrounding buildings? You got any ideas, Tony?"

"Cameras?" Tony asked quizzically, ideas beginning to race around his head.

Gibbs nodded. "Yeah, you think you can do something?"

"It's an idea. It might work or it might not." Tony shrugged then looked towards McGee's desk. "You're sending McGee down there?"

"Yeah, DiNozzo, that was the plan," Gibbs said, rolling his eyes.

Tony picked up his phone. "I have an idea boss." He dialled McGee's cell phone.

"What is it Tony?" McGee asked down the other end of the cell.

"The boss wants you up here, ASAP," Tony said, hanging up before McGee had a chance to say any more. Tony then turned to Gibbs. "I saw a trick used on security cameras in Ocean's Eleven…great movie…"

"Get on with it, Tony," Gibbs said, slightly annoyed, "we have not got a lot of time here."

"Right, boss," Tony collected his thoughts. "Near the end of the heist, Carl Reiner, who is playing a well to do German business man as his part in the heist." Tony looked to see Gibbs looking straight at him, eyes boring holes into his face.

"Boss, this is important," Tony continued. "He fakes a heart attack and while the security people are rushing to his side, their attention pointed towards him, the computer tech changes the security screen from real time imagery to reordered imagery."

"Your point, Tony?" Gibbs asked exasperated.

"My point, boss," Tony said, holding up a finger, "is that we get something that draws Ari and his men's attention long enough for McGee to upload his recorded imagery." As Tony finished, McGee walked in and sat down at his desk.

Gibbs turned to him. "Can you hack into Ari's security system or even place your own image over his cameras?"

"Boss," McGee began. He stopped and thought about it for a moment. "It's possible, but I would probably need every minute…"

"What are you waiting for, McGee, get going?" Gibbs said, pointing towards the elevator. "I'll let Fornell know you're coming."

"Right, boss." McGee picked up his laptop that sat next to his desk. He disappeared behind the partition and headed for the elevator.

Gibbs turned back to Tony. "All right, Tony, who is going to be our heart attack victim?"

"Well, boss, I was thinking a Marine Blackhawk flying low level over Ari's warehouse area might be a good idea." Tony said smiling.

"Good idea," Gibbs nodded, but he stopped and shook his head. "That'll put the kids in danger."

"Not if the helicopter is not flying anywhere near the warehouse that he's in," Tony said, a grim smile on his face. "I'm aware that I'm playing a deadly game, boss, but I just want him to worry for a few minutes, long enough for McGee."

"Let's do it," Gibbs said determinately. "I'll call the Commandant of the Marine Corp."


	11. Chapter 11

_Disclaimer: I don't own any characters that appear on the TV show. I wish I did, then I wouldn't have put Jeanne anywhere near Tony. The characters are owned by Belisarius productions and CBS. The originals are all mine, thank you very much._

_A/N: Slowly bringing the final act to the boil. Please let me know what you think._

Eschel Namir opened the door to interrogation room one. Paula Cassidy sat in the chair across from Al Mahidi. Eschel began to back out of the room. "I'm sorry, I should have knocked…"

"No, it's okay." Paula smiled at him. "I was just leaving. We've finished our nice little chat."

Eschel continued to back out. Paula walked to the door, but stopped and turned back around for a moment. "I promise you will wish you were never born."

Paula closed the door for a moment. Taking a beep breath, she calmed herself. She opened her eyes and Eschel was smiling at her. "He has a way of making you feel that you are the guilty party in the situation, does he not?"

Paula nodded. "Yes, that was not a normal interrogation. I didn't learn anything new." She closed her eyes again, opening them as she realised that he had not gone into the room. Paula held out her hand. "I'm sorry where are my manners? Special Agent Paula Cassidy, I've pulled you away from your work."

Eschel grasped her hand and lightly but firmly shook it. "Officer Eschel Namir, Mossad. I actually came to talk with you concerning the flight and what he might have said."

Paula shrugged. "Not a lot. He basically sneered at his guards and me. He might have said something in Arabic, but I'm not sure."

"Did it sound something like this?" Eschel spoke a phrase. He watched her facial expression as he said the words.

Paula nodded. "Yes, it sounded very similar. Not quite exactly like what you have just said, but very close."

Eschel sighed. "I should have guessed. I didn't think he would have said any other words."

"What did he say to me?" Paula asked as she looked at Eschel.

"Death to Israel and to their God," Eschel said, and then he shrugged. "A rough translation, a few more insults added in, but that was the message."

Paula cell phone rang. "Cassidy?"

"When you're done with Officer Namir," Gibbs' voice said into her ear, "all personnel are to report for a briefing of the situation and our plan of attack."

"Right, we'll be there soon," Paula said confidently.

"Be in MTAC, ASAP," Gibbs' voice said before the phone call disconnected.

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Darkness was now a major player as Captain Frank Travers and his spotter, Gunnery Sergeant Chris Westhoff of the marine sniper battalion, crawled across the roof. Both wore an earwig and wore black camouflage. Sliding across the roof next to Captain Travers was 30mm Armour piercing sniper rifle. Slung across Gunny Westhoff's back were half a dozen clips of ammunition as well as his Infer red/ night vision spotters monocular. Travers looked through the night vision goggles to check his closest sniper team lead by Corporal Art Williams. "How are you going, Corporal Williams?" he asked over his radio microphone which was close to his mouth.

"We're nearly in position, sir," Williams replied.

"The rest of you give me an update," Travers said over the open channel of his radio mic. He received two calls from two of his sniper team. They were in position. Two other teams were nearly in position. Travers' final team was explaining that they had just had an encounter with an Alsatian with very sharp teeth. Travers smirked at the last one of his sniper teams as Gunny Westhoff crawled up next to him.

Travers whispered into his radio microphone, "Agent McGee."

"Yes, Captain?" McGee's voice came over Travers' headset.

"Sniper teams nearly all in position, awaiting Blackhawk flyby," Travers said calmly and confidently into the radio microphone headset he wore.

"Understood," McGee replied over his headset, "awaiting confirmation from Special Agent Gibbs."

"Estimate time, please Agent McGee," Travers said into his radio microphone.

"Unknown at this time, Captain," McGee replied. "Terrorist yet to make contact, please standby."

"Roger that, Agent McGee." Travers rolled his eyes at Gunny Westhoff, who in turn smiled at Travers. "Expect a long wait when Jethro's involved, Chris."

Chris Westhoff nodded. "Yes, sir."

xxxxxxx

Gibbs walked down the stairs that lead to the main floor of MTAC. He looked down at Director Tom Morrow who was standing behind a lectern and waiting for Gibbs. Gibbs walked over to him. Morrow smiled at Gibbs. "This is your briefing, Jethro."

Morrow walked over to his seat and sat down next to Ducky. Gibbs looked about the room. The only person they were waiting on was Tony. Gibbs sighed and looked at Michelle Lee. "Michelle, go get Tony!"

"Right, Gibbs," Michelle said, rising and walking up the steps. As she opened the door, Tony nearly rolled right over her. "Tony!" Michelle said, slightly angry.

"Sorry, Michelle," Tony said, grabbing her as she began to fall. "My fault, it won't happen again." Both Tony and Michelle walked down the steps to their seats and sat down.

Gibbs looked around at the room. No McGee or Fornell. Gibbs cleared his throat. "Right, as all of you know." He paused to make eye contact with nearly everybody. "Caitlin Todd-DiNozzo and her children, Isabel and Jason, have been kidnapped by Ari Haswari. Every effort has been made to get her and the kids back." Gibbs' eyes rested on Tony who shifted in his seat nervously. "As most of you know, we have a dangerous terrorist who, according to Mossad, is the equivalent of Ayatollah Khomeini. Ari requested that we trade him for Caitlin Todd-DiNozzo and her kids. As you know, we don't do deals with terrorists."

Gibbs turned to Tony. "I would like to ask Agent DiNozzo here to fill us in on our plan of infiltration and attack to get the hostages back alive." Gibbs motioned for Tony to rise. "Tony, please!"

_A/N: Here we go. Time to destroy Ari and save Kate and the kids._


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that appear on the TV show. They belong to Belisarius productions and CBS. Any original characters that appear in the story are mine, they can't be held responsible if they have the same name as someone that has appeared in the story.

_A/N: Enjoy the next three chapters, they should be really interesting. A big thanks to my friend EmyPink for her help in this story. _

Kate shivered with revulsion as she walked out of the small room that she had been in with Ari. She held onto Jason tightly, whispering words of encouragement into the four months old's ear. Karima blocked her way back to the platform. "I'll take him now!"

"No!" Kate shook her head, the feeling of resentment resting on her. "You can't have him!

"This is not a debate, Caitlin," Ari said, his hand sliding across her shoulder. She shrugged the hand off, tightening her grip on her son.

"You will give Jason back to Karima or …" Ari gestured to Husseini. Husseini yanked Isabel to her feet, making the young girl cry out in surprise, and pressed his pistol into the back of her neck. Ari turned and smiled malevolently. "… Or you can watch your daughter die!"

Kate's anger rose. "You bastard!" she screamed as Karima removed Jason from her arms. As tears ran down her face, humiliation and anger became a weapon. Kate lunged at Ari, her fists pummelling into him. Kate continued to throw punches as Omar and Afridi grabbed her from behind and pulled her off Ari. Ari dabbed his mouth with the back of his hand, his voice full of menace and evil. "You wish to keep going, Kate? All I have to do is flick my finger." He looked up at Husseini. "He just has to pull the trigger, and she dies."

Kate's legs gave out from under her as she looked at her frightened daughter. Isabel began to cry. Kate broke free of Omar and Afridi. Ari shook his head at Husseini as Kate reached her daughter.

"Izzie, you have to promise me," Kate kissed her daughter a dozen times as she spoke, "to be strong. Daddy's coming." Kate looked into Isabel's eyes. "Understand, sweetie? Daddy is coming to save us." Omar and Afridi grasped Kate's arms while Isabel tried to hold onto her mum.

"Mummy, please, I don't want you to go again," Izzie said, her voice full of fear. She burst into tears as Kate was dragged away. "Mummy… mummy!"

Ari walked up to Isabel. He added a slight tinge of softness to his voice and said, "It's all right Isabel, it will be all over soon, I promise." Ari ran his hand through Isabel's hair, making her shiver involuntarily.

Ari walked back to the platform and ascended the stairs. He watched as Omar and Afridi tied Kate back to the chair. He flicked his wrist to look at his watch.

"It's time to make a call." He glanced over at Kate, who was giving him the hardest stare he had ever seen from her. He smiled evilly. "I enjoyed our small time together." When Kate said nothing, he bent down and he looked into her eyes, confident that her legs were tied to the chair. "What? What is it?"

"When this is all over, Ari," Kate said, looking into his eyes. Ari's eyes no longer had that kind look in them. Kate had finally witnessed how evil Ari actually was. Whatever good that had been in Doctor Ari Haswari had long ago disappeared and had been replaced by a pure unadulterated evil. _Could he hate Israel so much that he would let it fester like this,_ Kate thought as she formed the words she was about to say. _Or is it something closer to home? A family member perhaps, maybe his father? It's very possible. Tony and his father weren't on speaking terms before we were married._ Kate looked deep into his eyes and with a voice so calm it could have been what the sea was like, she whispered, "I will kill you!"

Ari chuckled at the statement and bent over her. "When this is all over, revenge will be mine and I will have everything I desire."

Kate spat in his face. Ari raised his hand to strike her, but the hand stopped halfway to Kate's face. Ari ran the back of his hand softly over her cheek and bent next to her ear. "You're so beautiful, Caitlin."

Ari walked away before Kate could do anything. His eyes locked onto the LCD screen, the image of Gibbs' team filing back into the bullpen. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and dialled Gibbs' landline number. Ari turned to Kate as he raised the phone to his ear. He grinned at her. "So beautiful!"

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The phone rang on Gibbs' desk. Tony who had pulled his SIG apart for a clean, he immediately stopped what he was doing, looking up. Gibbs held his hand up as Tony rose from his desk. Gibbs hit the conference call button on his phone. "You're on speaker, Ari."

"Thank you, Jethro," Ari's malevolent voice wafted through the squad room. "I know you have Al Mahidi, so bring him to a warehouse on 61/89 Irish Lane in the docks in half an hour."

"We're not going to get there in time, Ari," Gibbs said, playing the bluff card.

Ari's voice drifted through the bullpen. "Do not bring any back up or DiNozzo's daughter dies."

"Who comes with Al Mahidi?" Gibbs asked, though he already knew the answer.

"DiNozzo and yourself. No weapons, Gibbs, or negotiations are off before they start," Ari said over the speaker. "We kill both children, is that understood?"

"You expect us to walk into that warehouse without weapons? What's to stop us from being gunned down without Kate and the kids…?" Gibbs began angrily

"Yes, we understand," Tony said, controlled anger apparent his voice as he walked over to the speaker, cutting Gibbs off. "Ari, just remember, I will kill you if you have harmed even a single hair on their heads." The click of disconnection was audible. Tony returned to his desk and loaded his weapon.

"Nice, Tony," Gibbs said, glaring at him. "No weapons, what were you thinking?"

"Boss, relax. We've got it covered with rule number nine!" Tony answered calmly. Gibbs shivered. He could see the glint in Tony's eye. He would do anything to save his family, including sacrificing himself in the process. Gibbs was seriously considering Tobias Fornell's suggestion to remove him from the mission. Gibbs thought about Tony's comment, _you've got to admit, he thinking like a marine right now!_ Rule number nine, never go anywhere without a knife.

Gibbs walked over to Michelle and lent over her desk. "Is that the area that you were able to isolate this afternoon?" He pointed to a piece of paper on her desk.

Michelle nodded. "Yes, boss." She handed Gibbs a printout of the trace she had made of Ari's cell earlier in the day. Gibbs looked at the map she had just given him. "He's in that small area, but I was unable to get a fix on the position."

"So he is in Irish Lane?" Gibbs asked her as he looked at the trace.

"According to the GPS tracker in the phone…" Gibbs looked at her for a moment. Michelle shrugged. "I had a NSA telecommunications friend of mine who owed me a favour."

"Yes, according…?" Gibbs urged her on about the information she was telling him.

Michelle nodded. "The phone hasn't moved around, save for once, an incursion into Georgetown." Michelle winced as she said it. Tony glanced up at her for a moment.

"Good job, Michelle," Gibbs said as he walked around to his seat. "Thank your NSA buddy for us." Gibbs pulled up his phone and dialled a number.

Gibbs waited for a moment and McGee picked up. "Yeah, boss?"

"McGee, let Fornell know that the location is correct," Gibbs said as he walked towards the stairs. "You have the authorisation to proceed."

"Right, boss," McGee said as he closed the connection.

Gibbs looked over the rail into the bullpen. Tony was pacing up and down. "Hey, DiNozzo!"

Tony looked up. "Yeah, boss?"

"Get up here, you're with me," Gibbs said testily.

Tony picked up his jacket. "On you're six, boss."

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Travers stretched as he waited for authorisation to move into position. He glanced at Gunny Westhoff. "Hope this happens soon, we can't wait forever."

"It'll happen, Cap'n," Westhoff said as he pulled his flask of water from his webbing. Taking a gulp of water before he continued, "NCIS knows what they're doing."

Travers began to speak, but was cut off as McGee spoke into his radio microphone. "Captain Travers, standby for Hilo distraction."

"Roger that, Special Agent McGee," Travers whispered back to him through the microphone. "Teams in place and standing by."

Westhoff looked up for a moment as he heard the Blackhawk Chopper appear from the south. He looked back at his commanding officer, who nodded. McGee spoke over the open channel of the communication link. "Standby…"

The chopper flew overhead, a search light flickering left and right, and hovered over the roof three buildings across.

"Now, Now, Now!" McGee's voice commanded. Travers and Westhoff raced across the roof as they reached the position that they were to take up. The position over looked the roof and southern face of the designated warehouse. When Gibbs arrived with his NCIS team the Travers and his unit would target the building. But only after the codeword Gibbs chose to use gave them confirmation to open fire.

"All teams report," Travers ordered. He got affirmatives from his sniper teams. Smiling to Westhoff, he said, "Agent McGee, all sniper teams in place. According to the infer-red scope, the uglies in the building have soiled their pants, sir!"

"Understood, Captain. Thank you and good hunting." McGee laughed for a moment, but sobered up quickly.

_A/N: Well all or nothing now for the NCIS team. Enjoy_


	13. Chapter 13

_Disclaimer: I don't own characters that appear from the TV show. It would be nice however if I did. They belong to Belisarius productions and CBS. The original characters that appear in this story are all mine._

A/N: The word 'Ugly' or 'Uglies' are used in reference to Ari and his terrorists. I thought the words sounded a bit military. A slang word for bad guys, just so you know what I'm talking about in this chapter. Thanks to EmyPink, I appreciate all your help and I couldn't have done it without you.

It was dark as the blue Chrysler turned onto Irish road. The Marine sniper teams on the rooftops were training their weapons and sights on the vehicle as it drove. The barrels of the rifles were following the vehicle, in case Al Mahidi tried to make an escape. The car slowed and pulled into a car park next to the specified warehouse. Travers watched through his infer-red sight as the occupants sat within the vehicle.

"Skipper?" Gibbs' voice said into Travers' earwig communication device.

"Yeah, Gunny?" Travers asked, smiling at his use of Gibbs' former rank.

"What are we looking at in terms of enemy manpower?" Gibbs asked again into Travers ear.

"Hold position!" Travers said, and then switched to Team COM on his communication device. "All teams please report. How many uglies have we accounted for within the building?" Travers sat quietly for a moment as he waited for Westhoff and the other spotters to report their numbers.

Westhoff turned to him. "Five or six uglies, Skipper."

Travers nodded. "All teams, do you agree with five or six uglies?"

The voice of Corporal Santosa replied, "Skipper, we have a count of seven, could be a ghost, but we're not sure."

"Location?" Travers asked, looking across at Westhoff who was peering into his spotters' infer-red monocular.

Santosa said in his ear, "Top level, north side, far end."

Westhoff marked the position, sending the coordinates to the wireless CPU on Travers scope. Travers peered through the scope and examined the rooftop. The shape of the ghost ugly was too small to be human. "What do you think, Gunny?" Travers asked, looking at Westhoff.

Westhoff shook his head. "Not an ugly, definitely a ghost."

"Cat," Travers asked Westhoff, "or another small animal?"

Westhoff nodded. "That would be my guess, Skipper."

Travers shrugged and spoke over the team COM. "Target is a negative, verified it is not an ugly. Definitely a ghost, but not an ugly," Travers spoke into his radio microphone.

"Gunny," Travers said to Gibbs, "we count six uglies. You're clear for the time being."

"Thanks, Skipper," Gibbs said over the earwig. "You'll know when we need you. Call sign will be 'Screw You'."

"Understood, Gunny," Travers replied. "Good Luck!"

xxxxxxxx

Gibbs and Tony climbed out of the Chrysler. Gibbs walked to the large entrance way. He stopped and turned back to Tony. "Get the prisoner out of the back seat, DiNozzo."

"On it, boss," Tony answered as he walked to the rear cabin of the car. The rear door was swung open and Tony reached in and grabbed Al Mahidi's jumpsuit. The terrorist was still dressed in a Guantanamo Bay orange jumpsuit.

"This way, Your Excellency," Tony said sarcastically as he shoved the man in front of him. Gibbs stood by the wide door. In the shadows, the glint of a rifle or pistol was reflected in the moonlight. Tony and Al Mahidi reached the entrance. Gibbs held up his hand to block any further progress by Al Mahidi.

"No further until I say, you got that!" Gibbs stated, rather than questioned.

Al Mahidi nodded. "I understand you completely, Agent Gibbs." His perfect English made Tony cringe slightly. Al Mahidi reminded him of Ari and he was about to see the bastard once more.

Tony took a deep breath, forcing calm to resonate from within. Gibbs nodded to him. "You all right, Tony?" Concern was noticeable in his voice.

"Yeah, boss." Tony shrugged, trying to look as peaceful as possible. "This will be a walk in the park compared to the day I got married." Tony grinned. _Well, Gibbs remembers how that went. I'm sure he knows what I'm talking about. It might not be easy, but not getting cold feet for me was the biggest test I've ever had to endure. Well, maybe this takes the cake, but we will see._

"McGee?"Gibbs spoke into his sleeve microphone.

"Yeah, boss," McGee answered quickly over both Tony and Gibbs' earwigs.

"How soon after we enter will you are ready to take up position?" Gibbs asked again, looking at Tony.

"Two minutes, boss," McGee answered quickly, "depending on how long Michelle takes to get here."

Gibbs smiled for a moment. "Okay, as soon as you hear the code word, the marine sniper units will open fire. I want you inside the building as quickly as possible. I don't want you getting shot, _understand_? Abby would kill Tony and me if you did get hurt in any way. I'm sure she doesn't want to be a single parent."

McGee snorted on the other end of the earwig receiver. "Yeah, boss, I got it."

"Good, we're heading in, standby." Gibbs walked off towards the darkness ahead of Tony. Tony shoved Al Mahidi in front of him, but kept him at arms length. If something happened, Tony could grab him and make sure that he held onto him until McGee and Lee arrived. _Well, that was the plan,_ Gibbs thought as he entered the building. _He might just do something on his own and then we would be up the particular proverbial creek. _Gibbs halted as he passed into the shadows.

The barrel of a weapon pressed into his side. "Haswari is expecting you!" The figure pushed him forward into the pitch-blackness of the warehouse.

xxxxxxx

Gibbs climbed the steps to the platform. Behind Gibbs came Al Mahidi, followed closely by Tony who was still keeping him in arms reach, even under the guns of Ari's men. Gibbs walked onto the platform. Ari stood with his back to the three men that were now standing on the platform. Tony's eyes swept the rest of the warehouse for any sign of his family.

"Where are they, you bastard?" Tony hissed at Ari, when he saw none of his family about.

Ari turned and a devious smile played across his face. "Oh, your family, they are quite safe." Ari turned his back on them again. "For the time being."

"You bring them out now where I can see them." Tony's hand gripped onto Al Mahidi's shoulder. "Or you can say goodbye to your friend here. Osama wouldn't like that would he?" Tony looked defiantly at Ari who turned around again.

Ari smirked, a smirk that said, _you stupid boy, I rule here!_ Gibbs watched the battle of wills. For ten minutes Tony and Ari glared at one another. Finally Ari shrugged his shoulders. "Bring the family out, Omar!" Ari said, turning to the man on Tony's left.

"Yes, Haswari." Omar nodded and disappeared down the steps.

Ari walked over to a chair. He sat himself down in it and looked at Gibbs. "So, Jethro, what have you been doing with yourself?" Ari smiled, but there was nothing friendly about it. "Still building that boat of yours or do the little DiNozzos take up your time?"

Gibbs smiled back at him. "Ari, you make me feel tired all over!"

Ari's smile disappeared from his face. "What do you mean by that?"

"It's bad enough to kill a man," Gibbs said casually, "but having to listen to a lot of long winded bilge before that happens, well … you see my dilemma."

Ari's smile returned for a moment. "You clearly overestimate your position. I have all the trump cards up my sleeve. You think you are the one who will be doing the killing? Let me tell you something. In the real world, the bad guy wins far more than he loses."

"Is that so?" Gibbs smiled at him. If Gibbs' eyes had been knives they would have nailed Ari to the seat and killed him outright. "Well…"

Gibbs was cut off by the screams and cries that floated up to the platform. Kate was being forcibly dragged by Omar. Isabel was being carried roughly by Husseini, while Karima held onto Jason tightly as he was thrashing about, trying to free himself. Omar dragged Kate up the stairs, past Tony and Gibbs and stood her behind where Ari sat. Isabel and Jason were taken down to the far end of the platform.

Ari looked at Gibbs. "You see, I have all the cards." Ari pulled a pistol from his belt and began to screw on the silencer. "I do believe I owe you a shoulder for your troubles!" Ari nodded to Afridi and the other guard. Al Mahidi walked over to where Ari was now standing. Afridi and the other guard forced both Tony and Gibbs onto their knees.

"Ari, Al Mahidi!" Gibbs said, his face was calm and relaxed, "I have one thing to say to you."

Tony looked at Gibbs as the butt of Afridi's AK74 hit Gibbs in the back. Tony looked up at the terrorists and said defiantly, "Screw you!"

A/N: Okay, I thought it would be fewer chapters, but I'm doing just a couple more. Enjoy! I hope I have you on the edge of your seat!


	14. Chapter 14

_Disclaimer: Okay, I don't own any of the characters that appear in the TV show. If I did, I would have had something more Tate before Kate was killed off, but hey, that's just me. The characters are owned by Belisarius productions and CBS. The original Characters that play their parts in this story are mine, this I can confirm with clear conscience._

_A/N: One chapter to go before we get some juicy Tate. Well, I'm crossing my fingers. I'm going to try and get a fluffy ending happening, but first to deal with Ari. I know you all wish to kill him, but it isn't going to happen, sorry. I want to acknowledge the work of EmyPink, who is my beta and friend. Without her this story, would not be possible. Thanks Em! _

One minute the platform was quiet as a tomb, the next, sparks, shrapnel and 30mm rounds struck the platform from every angle. Tony's hand freed the knife that was stuck to the sole of his shoe. The knife sliced through the arm of the guard who was now looking around him as if the end of the world had come. Blood from the wound spurted over Tony's shirt. Tony rose as the bullets continued to rain down on the platform. Tony grabbed the guard from behind. The knife slid between his ribs and Tony twisted the knife. The guard collapsed. Tony picked up the fallen Glock 17, which the guard had been armed with. He turned to see Gibbs deliver the killer blow to Afridi.

"Rule number nine, boss. Always carry a knife," Tony said as he swung around to see where his kids had disappeared to. "I can't see the kids or Ari."

"Skipper, cease fire," Gibbs spoke into the sleeve microphone of his earwig. His other hand slid a Glock 17 handgun into his belt in the small of his back. "Keep us updated on heat signatures, though. We have friendlies in the building."

"Understood, Gunny, we'll keep you informed," Travers replied into Tony and Gibbs' earwigs.

"I have a feeling you won't need to bother about Ari," Gibbs said grimly, the AK74 in his hand as he looked about the warehouse. "My gut tells me your wife has already staked her claim on him."

"The kids?" Tony asked, worry creasing his forehead.

"You get Jase, I'll find Izzie," Gibbs said. He paused and placed a hand on Tony's shoulder. "Good luck, Tony."

Tony nodded. "You too, boss."

xxxxxxx

Husseini staggered through the rubble, his strong grip still held Isabel DiNozzo. He would only kill her as a last resort. It was better to keep her alive then to feel the wrath of Haswari if the plan failed. The little girl was struggling. It wasn't difficult to put up with, just annoying. Husseini stopped for a moment. Isabel screamed, "Daddy!"

Husseini cuffed the small girl. "Quiet girl or I kill you."

It was way too quiet for his liking. He turned and noted that a shadow was coming up the hallway behind him. He steadied his Scorpion machine pistol on the end of the hallway where the figure would have to appear from. A hand on the end of the wall became visible. Husseini squeezed the trigger and the Scorpion's muzzle flashed as bullets smashed into the wall where the hand had been.

"All right, don't shoot anymore," the voice said, "I surrender."

"Come out or I shoot the girl right now." Husseini's voice had gone a couple of pitches higher then normal. "Throw away any guns you're carrying and get on your knees," Husseini said, struggling to hold both the young girl and the Scorpion.

Gibbs appeared as he threw the AK74 onto the rubble and knelt down on the ground. Isabel saw him and began to scream, "Uncle Gibbs, Uncle Gibbs…"

"Shut up!" Husseini shouted angrily at her. Husseini's attention was drawn away from Gibbs for a moment, but a moment was all that Gibbs would need. The Glock 17 was in his hands in a second. Even as Husseini realised his mistake and levelled the Scorpion at Gibbs, the former Marine Gunnery Sergeant squeezed the trigger. Two bullets tore through Husseini's forehead. He toppled backwards, Isabel still held tightly in his arms. Gibbs ran across the rubble to where the dead man lay. Isabel was a shivering wreck; she had tears streaming down her face.

Gibbs pulled her free from the grip of the dead man. He held onto her tightly, letting her cry into his shoulder. "It's all over now, Izzie, it's all over now."

xxxxxxxx

Ari crashed through a doorway. His fallback point was not far off. Beyond the fallback point there was a trap door that led to the sewers and to freedom. Ari would make amends before fleeing. Ari had failed twice in one day. The DiNozzos and Gibbs were alive … well as far as he knew. The second failure had happened when the 30mm shells had carved their destruction into Al Mahidi before his eyes. Ari was a Doctor. He had seen many bad things: Palestinians in the wrong place at the wrong time, Israelis ripped apart by suicide bombers. Yet, the horror of seeing 30mm shells destroying all hope of Bin Laden placing greater missions in his hands was all over. Now Ari just wanted to get away. For the first time since Ari had a run in with NCIS, Anthony DiNozzo had totally out thought him. _Or was it Gibbs._ Ari shook his head. _No, it had not been Gibbs. It had been DiNozzo._ The man had used this single situation to bring together all the ideas of destroying him and done it in one single blow.

As Ari reached the door, he shoved it open. The room was filled with barrels. Ari had first thought that because of the barrels gave cover it seemed to be tactically easy to defend. Now he had his doubts. Ari walked quickly over to the steel case that sat on a table in the middle of the room. He opened it. Inside sat three Berretta 9mm pistols. Ari pulled one free, picking up a clip. He slid the clip of ammunition into place. He pulled back the slide. He walked quickly to a place where he could cover the case. They had been unarmed. They had been searched. If they wished to kill him, they would have to get to the case.

The sound of a door being closed echoed throughout room. Ari pointed his Berretta 9mm at the case, awaiting the figure of Gibbs to appear.

"Ari?" The voice was distinct, female. _Caitlin, she did say that she would kill me in the end. Time to put such a prophecy to bed six feet under_, Ari thought as he waited for her to appear.

When she didn't, Ari looked about worriedly. "Caitlin?" Ari said, his voice echoing in the room.

"So you are still here! I thought you would have turned coward and run," Kate stated. She sounded quite near, yet the echo was making it hard for Ari to pinpoint her even with those perfect Mossad skills he had acquired.

"Yes, I'm about," Ari said, looking about him thoroughly eyes scanning the room in front of him.

The barrel of a weapon pressed against his head. "I thought you were." Kate's voice was ice cold. "Waiting for me to reach for a gun? What happened to the one you were about to shoot Gibbs with? Drop the weapon." This was a command.

Ari dropped the weapon to the ground. "It would appear that I underestimated you and your husband."

The barrel momentarily moved away from his head. Kate kicked the Berretta away from him. "Move!"

In one move, Ari twisted sideways; the cough of Kate's silenced weapon echoing off the barrels as she missed him. Ari grabbed her wrist as he fought her for control of the weapon. Kate countered the move, her Secret Service training was cutting in. Ari countered her own move and had her on her back before she even realised it. "I will enjoy killing you," Ari snarled at her, his white teeth visible.

Kate hit him as hard as she could in the groin. Ari doubled over, rolling on the ground in pain. Kate rose to her feet. Ari rolled towards the Berretta she had kicked away. It was in his hand in seconds. His eyes gave that kind look as Kate raised the weapon and pointed at his head. Two shots resounded as Ari's gun hand pointed directly at Kate. The gun in Ari's hand clattered to the ground. His limp body was sprawled across the ground. Two holes in his forehead were seeping blood as a pool of blood formed underneath him. "Not as much as I have you, you bastard." Tears ran down her face. The traumatic experience was at an end.

xxxxxxxx

Tony climbed the stairs of the warehouse. "I have to really get back to the gym. This is going to kill me."

"Agent DiNozzo, we have one ugly on the roof, possibly two. Please advise," Travers said over his earwig.

"What signatures are you picking up, Captain?" Tony asked into his sleeve microphone.

"Two signatures, one ugly, the other small enough to be a kid," Travers replied in his ear.

"Do not engage," Tony said as he climbed the last steps and crashed out onto the roof. "I repeat, do not engage, one is my son."

"Acknowledged," Travers replied, "will continue to monitor."

Tony charged across the roof. He willed his legs to go faster as he tried to catch the escaping figure. The figure disappeared behind the last glass skylight. Tony slowed, the Glock 17 held in front of him as he swept the skylight.

"Captain, advise location on ugly?" Tony whispered into his microphone.

"Should be just ahead of you," Travers replied, and then he hesitated. "Moving away from you."

"I see her," Tony replied into his sleeve microphone. Tony broke into a run, the girl stopped ahead. She turned around. Tony pointed his Glock at her. "Freeze, NCIS. Put the kid down and nobody gets hurt."

"Your son has your eyes, Agent DiNozzo," Karima said, looking down at Jason who was fighting to stay awake. "You should be proud."

"Listen, lady, I want you to put him down gently," Tony said, his weapon pointed at her head. "I'll give you ten seconds."

"And what about Ari," Karima asked quietly, looking at Jason, "Will you be taking him into custody?"

"Ten, nine" Tony said. "Only if he cooperates and puts his weapon away and doesn't try to kill anyone. He'll spend his days in Guantanamo Bay, most likely."

"He wouldn't do it," Karima whispered, a tear running down her face. "He would rather die then allow himself to be paraded round by you Americans as a man who was a terrorist and was captured."

"Five, four," Tony said, looking at her desperately. If he shot her, Jason could get injured. If he didn't, Jason could end up not having a father. She just had to put him down and it would be all over. "Please, I'm begging you, just put him down. I can cut you a deal if you tell us everything you know."

"I'm sorry," Karima whispered to Jason as she placed him on the rooftop. He began to cry as the cold soaked into the blanket he was wrapped in. Karima turned her back on Tony. "Goodbye, Agent DiNozzo."

She leapt off the roof, falling two stories. Tony ran to the edge and looked over. Below him, Karima lay splayed at obscure angles, a pool of blood growing around her head. She was slowly illuminated by the dawn light now coming with the rising sun.

"Damn it! She leapt off the roof!" Tony shouted angrily, the realisation striking horror into his heart and mind at the fact. Tony angrily threw the Glock after her.

Tony regained his composure and controlled himself as Jason began to cry. He bent over his son, his hands reaching down. Tony scooped Jason into his arms. The four month old began to settle as the familiar smell of his father gave him reassurance.

"It's all right, Jase," Tony said, walking slowly back towards the stairs. "I've got you now. Daddy's here. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

_A/N: Fluffy ending next chapter._


	15. Chapter 15

_Disclaimer: I wish I owned the characters that appear in the TV show. Let's face it; I'm just not rich enough. They are owned by Belisarius Productions and CBS. The original characters that appear in this story, I can vouch for. They are mine and no one can take that away from me._

_A/N: Okay, last chapter. Once again, I'd like to thank EmyPink for her help in the editing department. Em, I really appreciate all the hours and minutes you gave up helping me with this. Now on with the happy and fluffy ending. Yay!_

The early dawn light began to filter through the clouds, giving them a beautiful orange tint. Gibbs walked slowly through the rubble caused by the Marine sniper unit who were still monitoring the building from their positions outside. Clinging increasingly hard to him was Isabel DiNozzo. His three year old god-daughter was in a state of shock. Gibbs reached the main room of the warehouse. Ducky, McGee, Lee and Jimmy Palmer were all on the platform above.

"Izzie, I want you to close your eyes for me." Gibbs looked into his god-daughter's eyes. Izzie shook her head vigorously. Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Izzie, you have to trust me. You may see things that you might not like. I don't want you to see anymore nasty things, okay?"

Isabel nodded. "Okay, Uncle Gibbs." She shivered a second later and closed her eyes.

Gibbs walked up the stairs and onto the platform. Ducky turned to see him appear with Isabel. "Thank God, Jethro."

"She's suffering from shock, Duck," Gibbs said, placing his hand over her face to prevent her looking, if she opened her eyes accidentally, at the blood covered bodies that Ducky had yet to place in body bags.

Ducky nodded and then turned to Jimmy. "Mr Palmer, have all the bodies been accounted for?"

"Yes, Doctor," Jimmy nodded as he caught sight of Gibbs and Isabel, "all except Haswari that is!"

"I'm sure he'll turn up. I have a feeling in my gut." Ducky said with a small smile on his face. Palmer, as always, was dependable to say the least.

"I will be with little Miss DiNozzo," Ducky said, pointing at Gibbs and Isabel. "Down at the van, she's suffering from shock. Have all these bodies in the bags before I'm finished."

"Yes, Doctor," Jimmy said before turning back to the job at hand.

Gibbs followed Ducky down the stairs, but not before he called McGee. "McGee, with me."

"With you, boss," McGee said quickly, rushing after his boss; leaving Agent Lee with Palmer to finish with the bodies.

The group of four walked quickly towards the main entrance. Gibbs turned to McGee. "Where's Kate?"

"Last time I saw her, she was over by the ambulance being checked over," McGee said, pointing towards a now empty ambulance.

"Izzie, you can open your eyes now," Gibbs said softly to the little girl still clutching his neck tightly. Isabel opened her eyes and yawned. _You look very tired, Isabel DiNozzo_, Gibbs thought as they walked out of the building. The sun was now rising steadily. Gibbs looked at McGee. "Take her, I'll go find Kate."

"Right, boss," McGee said, holding out his arms for his adopted niece. Gibbs walked over to the ambulance. Isabel almost leapt into Tim's arms and refused to let go of his neck. "Hey Izzie, you had us worried for a long time." McGee continued in the procession, following Ducky.

"Isabel!" Kate shouted as she ran towards McGee and Ducky.

"Mummy," Isabel screamed, joy flooding over her. Tears began to stream down her face as Kate reached Ducky and McGee. McGee and Ducky smiled at the reunion.

McGee held Isabel out to Kate who took her daughter in her arms. "I was so worried about you, sweetie." Kate clung to Isabel, kissing her incessantly. "You were so brave, Izzie. I am so proud of you. I love you so much."

"I love you too, mummy," Isabel whispered through her hiccups and tears of joy.

Kate held onto Isabel as she turned to Ducky. "Is she okay, Ducky?"

Ducky smiled as he bent in and kissed Kate on the cheek. "That's from your parents. They rang me when you didn't show up for dinner. It would appear that your husband forgot to tell them. I informed them of the situation and they asked me if I would kiss you on the cheek." He immediately went back to answering Kate's question. "She's only suffering shock, quite normal after a hostage situation."

Kate wheeled around on McGee. "Tony? Have you seen him?"

"Ah…Ah I haven't seen him yet," McGee answered quickly. "I'm sure he's okay. He should be…"

"Right here, beautiful," Tony said, a calm smile on his face as he walked out of the entrance way of the warehouse. In his arms he held Jason DiNozzo. Kate gave Isabel back to McGee for a moment. As Tony reached the group, he handed his son over to Kate. He kissed her long and slow as she took Jason out of his arms.

"Don't ever do that to me again, Kate," Tony said as he took Isabel from McGee's arms. "I have in mind to punish you in someway. Hey, Izzie." Tony kissed his daughter's cheek. "I love you so much!"

"I love you too, daddy," Isabel whispered into his ear, new tears of joy forming in her eyes. "I love you too!"

"DiNozzo," Gibbs' voice boomed behind him.

"Yeah, boss." Tony turned around to see him coming over to the group.

"Might I suggest allowing Ducky to finish his examination of Izzie's shock and then going home and resting?" Gibbs said as he reached the group and kissed Kate on the cheek.

"Kate, I can only concur what Tony said, don't ever do that again." Gibbs smiled at her as he squeezed Tony's shoulder.

xxxxxxxx

Tony looked at himself in the mirror. He had dozed a little during the day. Isabel had gone to bed, but had been keeping Kate awake with her screams. The last twenty four hours had mentally taken its toll on their little three year old girl. Ducky had confirmed the fact that apart from shock, the trauma would cause bad dreams to Isabel because she could recollect the incident far more than Jason could.

Tony yawned as he walked out of the bathroom. He was dressed in a t-shirt and boxer shorts and his hair was all tousled up. He didn't appear the sharp, sophisticated dresser that Kate knew from the years she worked with him. "What time is it, Katie?"

Kate was busily looking for something in her beside draw. She looked partly refreshed, partly tried. Kate looked up at her husband. "Time for us to get some sleep, handsome."

"I wasn't thinking anything like that, Kate," Tony said, rolling his eyes. "As if I think about that every night! Well, not every night." He walked around the bed to Kate. "What are you looking for, you sexy thing?"

"Something," Kate said, slightly annoyed by his questions.

"Like what?" Tony said, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her tenderly on the neck.

"Daddy, mummy, daddy," Isabel's frightened voice carried.

Kate let out an exasperated breath. "My turn again."

"You stay here. You've done enough," Tony commanded as he walked from Kate's side of the bed. "It's my turn!"

Tony walked out of the bedroom and down the hallway to his daughter's bedroom. The nightlight was burning brightly in the corner of the room. His eyes grew accustomed to the low light. He took in the situation. Isabel was shivering profusely under the covers, eyes wide with fear. Tony walked in and sat down on the bed. "Izzie, it's all right. It's all over. Nothing is going to happen to you now." Tony ran his hand through her hair.

Isabel shivered. "Daddy, I keep waking up and seeing that nasty man." Izzie burst into tears. "And the gun."

"Shush, it's all over now," Tony whispered as he stroked his daughter's forehead. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I promised didn't I?"

Izzie nodded. "Yes, daddy you did."

"All right," Tony whispered, "I want you to close your eyes and think about the animals, about the beautiful trees, and about how much Mummy and I love you." Isabel closed her eyes slowly, trying to fight it every step of the way. Tony decided to try something.

Fi la nana, e mi bel fiol,

Fi la nana, e mi bel fiol,

Fa si la nana.

Fa si la nana.

Dormi ben, e mi bel fiol,

Dormi ben, e mi bel fiol,

Fa si la nana.

Fa si la nana.

Tony sang it a few times over until he heard Isabel breathing lightly, the sleep of a deep sleeper. Tony smiled, watching his beautiful daughter as she now slept somewhat peacefully. He rose from his seated position and began to walk back to his bedroom. He entered the bedroom. Kate was in the bathroom.

"I got her to sleep, Kate," Tony said softly into the bathroom.

Kate walked out. Dressed in a sexy red silk two piece pyjama set, Kate smiled at him. Tony expression was that of a man struck dumb. "You remember when you payed me back the money you owed me."

Tony finally grinned at her. "How could I forget? I got you to say that you were my wife. You wouldn't have said that for another two years without that stunt." Tony's eyes wandered up and down her perfect form, a suggestive grin on his face. "This is one of those nights in which I'm having those particular thoughts."

"Good," Kate said seductively as she walked over to him. Tony pulled her close and kissed her long and passionately. A hand moved to her shoulder, taking hold of the strap. Kate grinned at him as they took a breath. "Because I was thinking of adding another one to the family." Kate pulled Tony to the bed.

Tony smiled as she pulled his t-shirt up and over his head. "I think we can manage that!" They grinned at one another. The lights went out as Kate reached over and hit the switch. "I think we can manage that easily, Katie!" Tony whispered as he kissed Kate again.

_A/N: If that sounds way too amateurish that would be because I find it very hard to write things that haven't exactly happened to me as of yet. I have really enjoyed writing this_ _story. I want to thank you all for your reviews and comments. Below is the English translation of the lullaby._

Hush-a-bye, my lovely child,

Hush-a-bye, my lovely child,

Hush, hush and go to sleep.

Hush, hush and go to sleep.

Sleep well, my lovely child,

Sleep well, my lovely child,

Hush, hush and go to sleep.

Hush, hush and go to sleep.


End file.
